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25 per cent cut is very well, but will someone stand up and be counted?
Jangveer Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 18
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal may have ordered a 25 per cent cut in security cover to VIPs in the state, but as far as the Punjab police is concerned trying to make even a 10 per cent cut may be difficult.

The problem is that the CM has not specified how the cut is to be enforced, and taking back security from ministers is an exercise might well lead to a “tug-of-war”. Already, those fearing a cut are protesting.

There are high-profile ministers like information and public relations minister Bikram Singh Majithia and even Vidhan Sabha Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon who have a heavy security cover. Majithia has 50 police personnel guarding him. He is the the brother-in-law of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Badal, when questioned about the security cover provided to him and his family, told newsmen that he and his son Sukhbir had been given Z plus security during the Congress rule. He, however, said he believed in granting security “according to rules”. Incidentally, the security cover of the CM and his family is close to 1,000 people.

Majithia, when questioned on the issue, said he did not think he had 50 persons guarding him and added, “Never have I had 50 persons around me”. When told that he need not have 50 persons around him as many could be working in double shifts, he said, “If they are in shifts I have not gone into it”.

Would ministers lead by example by voluntary reducing their security? "If the CM has announced that there would be a 25 per cent cut in security of VIPs, he must have done so after due consultation with the DGP. I believe the cut will be across the board and will be implemented as whatever Badal sahab decides is in the interest of all”.

Police sources, however, maintain that they are finding it difficult to enforce even a 10 per cent cut because the affected wre thronging to the office of the director-general of police here to protest the measure as well as pull political strings. Forget the cut, sources told The Tribune, there might soon be higher security for politicos in view of the elections next year.

As if that is not alrming enough, news coming in from the districts is also not very encouraging. According to police sources, most district police chiefs have deputed police personnel on security duty without the knowledge of the headquarters here.

Knowledge of such unofficial duty is also being uncovered on a daily basis. People coming to the police headquarters here to protest against withdrawal of their security by concerned SSPs are finding out that they had been given gun men under an unofficial arrangement without taking sanction of the Security wing.

While certificates from SSPs, who are now required to state that they have not provided security to anyone at their level, have started coming in there has been one truthful admission from Amritsar SSP Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh. The SSP first asked for some time to submit the certificate and then dispatched a list of 19 persons to whom he has given security requesting that it be regularized.

ADGP (security) Anil Kaushik said reviewing of security cover was an ongoing process and that the department was trying to bring it down after a “thorough” review.

All right, but which way shall it really go — numbers down or up?

Watch this space...