MHA accords security cover to more BJP candidates in UP, Punjab
Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 Feb, 2022 11:31 AM
New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) After analysing the threat perceptions during the five states assembly elections, the Ministry of Home Affairs has till now provided central security cover to 23 BJP candidates and leaders in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab till election gets over.
Sources said that BJP candidate and Union Minister S.P.S. Baghel has been provided 'Z' category security cover in Uttar Pradesh by Central Industrial Security Force while other BJP MP Dr Ramesh Chand has been given 'X' category security cover.
Similarly in Punjab, 21 sitting MLAs who are contesting elections have been given 'Y' category security cover from Central Reserve Police Force. The prominent among them are Avtar Singh Zira, Nimisha T. Mehta who recently joined the saffron party, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Sardar Kanwar Veer Singh Tohra, Sardar Didar Singh Bhatti, Sardar Kanwar Veer Singh Tohra, Sardar Gurpreet Singh Bhatti, Sardar Hariot Kamal while Sukhwinder Singh Bindra have been given 'Y+' security.
Sources quoting officials said that some of the BJP candidates already have security cover from the state police but even then they have been provided with central security cover.
This security cover will be given to these candidates till the assembly elections and the continuation of the security will be decided after a review of the situation.
The Centre's move to provide security cover to the BJP leaders and candidates is akin to the decision taken by the MHA during the Bengal polls last year wherein central government provided security covers to many BJP leaders and candidates during the election period and subsequently withdrawn after the election process was over.
Earlier, the Union Home Ministry has already accorded VIP security cover to some of the leaders of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and other religious outfits in Punjab.
Recently, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's security cover was also upgraded from Y category to Z category during his stay in Delhi and Punjab. Shekhawat is the BJP election in-charge for the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab.
The other turncoats who joined BJP like former Akali Dal's youth wing leader Parminder Singh Brar, Manjinder Singh Sirsa got 'Z' category security while Gurmit Singh Sodhi's security cover was upgraded from the 'Y' category to the 'Z' category. Sodhi had also joined BJP with Sirsa in December.
The Centre's move came after the input by the intelligence agencies that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has activated all of its terror wings to disrupt Punjab's election process. Intelligence inputs, according to sources within the security set up, indicate that ISI-sponsored Sikh terror outfits may attempt to target election rallies in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand, and also try to target some important leaders or VIPs.
The alliance promised Rs 10 lakh free annual health insurance for all Punjabis, Rs 2,000 per month to all women heads of 'blue card' families, 5 lakh houses and five marla plots each to homeless poor and hiking old-age pension to Rs 3,100 and shagun scheme of Rs 75,000.
In an interview to IANS, Ashwani Kumar, who was perceived as a loyalist of the Gandhi family and had supported against the 'G23' , said it was getting difficult to continue in the party. He also said he is open to join any other party.
Promising to work on the teachings of Sikh gurus with principles of non-discrimination and equality for all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the NDA would form the government in Punjab and would free the state from drugs.
The government can't restrict fundamental rights in the garb of maintaining public order, the counsel for the girl students seeking permission to wear the hijab told the Karnataka High Court on Monday.
On February 14, 2019, a suicide bomber of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group attacked the CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in which 40 personnel were killed.
The Customs officials on Sunday recovered an unclaimed bag containing 'cocaine capsules' valued at Rs 15 crore from the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, an official said. The official said that it was seized and a case was lodged and efforts were being made to identify the accused who abandoned the bag.
