Gujarat offers cover, Hardik Patel says never

The

Gujarat

government has decided to give round-the-clock

security

cover to Congress leader Hardik Patel after he was

attacked

by an assaulter at a public rally in Wadhwan in Surendranagar district on Friday. The government has offered a personal security officer (

PSO

) armed with an automatic weapon for Patel’s security. Talking to reporters in Rajkot, Patel said on Friday that he has refused to take state government’s security alleging that it would be misused for spying on him.



From last two years, the state government has been offering security to Patel but he has repeatedly declined the proposal, said senior officials in the police department.


“A committee headed by additional chief secretary (home) recommended to give security cover to the 25-year-old Congress leader and the proposal also got the nod from the chief minister, but Patel refused to accept the offer,” the officials said. Ahead of 2017 state assembly polls, the central government provided security cover to Patel, who was addressing public gatherings across the state, however it was withdrawn after elections, said a senior police official.

“In 2017, I had security cover of central government. I had denied security of state government back then and today also I’ll not accept it because it’s not for security but for spying purpose,” Patel said at the media conference.