Security mania of puffed up politicos
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 20, 2012 -
One important development which took place just a couple of days back, but the news report of which, in all likelihood, may have skimmed over the mind of the people in Manipur (despite its relevance) on account of the prevailing political scenario here, was the refusal of Z-plus security cover by newly sworn in Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
The Z-plus security cover has been recommended to him at a security review meeting of smallest Indian state in the Konkan region on March 16.
However, Mr Parrikar has not only turned down the offer of Z-plus security cover for himself but also decided to either scale down or strip of all other Ministers of their elite security blanket.
Mr Parrikar is of the opinion that there is no threat to his life and he should not be afraid of the people who have elected him to power. That leaves the Chief Minister of Goa with only Y-category security cover which entitles him to just two security personnel sans escort vehicles.
The logic behind the stand of Mr Parrikar in refusing Z-plus security cover is that the police should look after the security of common men on the streets and not pamper any VVIP unnecessarily at the expense taxpayer's money. It is said that the government of India spends over Rs 250 crores annually for the protection of VVIPs.
Based on threat perception, security is provided to high-risk individuals in India under four tiers of security cover, namely X, Y, Z and Z-plus.
Individuals under the security blanket of Z-plus include Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, High Court and Supreme Judges, leading politicians and senior bureaucrats.
Z-plus category has a security cover of 36 personnel, Z- category has 11 personnel, Y category has 2 personnel and X category has a security cover of 1 just one security personnel.
It has been seen in many cases that placing under any of these security cover is viewed as status symbol by politicians in India and they use their political clout to secure security cover.
The immediate reaction of most Indian politicians over any fancied threat to their personal safety is to clamour for increased security at the expense of taxpayer's money.
Manipur has been no exception to this security mania of puffed up politicians, nay, our honourable elected representatives.
But what is more depressing in the case of Manipur is the unruly conduct and uncouth behavior of the security personnel who have come to live under the impression that they have the right of passage over anyone else on the road.
This obnoxious conduct of our own home bred security personnel has been shown to the hilt once again in ferrying the newly elected legislators to the State Assembly, the first session of which commences from today (March 19).
Now, coming back to the reasoning of Mr Parrikar, would it be justifiable on the part of our elected legislators to subject the same people, who have defied every possible threat and gave them a huge mandate, to all sorts of inconveniences on the busy roads of Imphal with their security cover? Think over.
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