Capt Amrinder Singh aides get “Status Symbol” from BJP led central government
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
Former Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh aides and his ex-cabinet ministers Balbir Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, ex MLA Jagdeep Singh Nakai and Amarjeet Singh Tikka have been accorded X-category security by the central agencies
Ex congress ministers Balbir Singh Sidhu and Gurpreet Singh Kangar had joined the BJP after the assembly polls earlier this year, whereas Nakai and Tikka had joined the party before the assembly polls.
Earlier in October, five BJP leaders in Punjab were provided with ‘Y-category’ security in the name of threat. With this, the number of leaders who have been given security after recently joining the BJP has gone up to 20.
Earlier they were given Punjab police protection. But, with the change of guard in the state, the state government withdraws extra security cover they were enjoying in the congress regime. Now, as per source, after an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report indicated a threat four Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Punjab were given ‘X-category’ protection.
On the condition of anonymity a saffron party leader said “ the original leaders of BJP who stands with the party in thick and thin never demanded security from the state or central agencies. We are doing our work sincerely at ground level. But the party decision to give special treatment to turncoats has raised many questions in the minds of party workers. Even the workers, leaders of the BJP who has not been given this security is also raising questions on the criteria for providing security.”
Security cover is more or less a status symbol in Punjab. Before the aam aadmi party came to power in Punjab, a politician, leader without a security is not considered as a politician amongst voters in Punjab.
As per available information, ‘as Punjab government is in no mood to give this “status symbol “- extra security cover to them, the turncoat leaders knocked the central leaders door to give them security”.
Capt Amrinder Singh aides get “Status Symbol” from BJP led central government. Its prevalent trend in amongst Punjab politicians, bureaucrats, religious leaders, industrialists, journalists to get security cover in the name of threats. Even, the bureaucrats, police officers, enjoy the security cover in the name of threat perception.
Many of the security personnel’s attached with VIPs were told to do odd jobs by the family members of those VIPs. Some of the security persons were asked to look after, guard the officer’s personnel residences whereas they were living in the official accommodations. Some of them wants security persons,as they are good in driving and the leader, officer wants a trained driver and don’t want to hire a costly driver. The benefit of police personnel as a driver also helps politician to avoid paying toll tax.So, its a more or less a status synbol to have security person around you.
The Details of Security categories are:
- SPG is an elite force whose details are classified and only provided to the Prime Minister of India.
- Z+ category is a security detail of 150 personnel, including 10+ NSG commandos and police personnel.
- Z category is a security detail of 55 personnel, including 4-6 NSG commandos and police personnel.
- Y+ category is a security detail of 39 personnel, including 2-4 commandos and police personnel.
- Y category is a security detail of 28 personnel, including 1 or 2 commandos and police personnel.
- X category is a security detail of 12 personnel, with no commandos but only armed police personnel.
November 20,2022
