Jalandhar, December 25
When even minor political leaders are often seen accompanied by swarms of security guards in Punjab, there is one important cabinet minister who does not take along even single police security guard. In fact, he has not taken any security guard for personal protection. And he uses his private vehicle for official as well as private purpose. He has not even taken a driver from the Punjab government for his vehicle that he drives himself to official functions.

Manpreet Singh Badal, Finance Minister, neither has any security cover nor does he use red light and the national emblem on his vehicle. Even at his private residence at Badal village, there is no security guard. Some security guards have been deployed at his official residence at Chandigarh.

When asked that why he has not taken any security guard, Manpreet said: “I am in public life on my own choice and feel no threat to my life from any quarters. And I believe that when one is in public life, one should try to be a role model to the extent he can. Moreover, I consider security personnel for personal protection as a passport to unpopularity”.

Manpreet had told the police authorities that even he did not need static police guards at his official residence in Sector 2, Chandigarh. But, the police authorities have justified the deployment of static guards there, saying that they have kept to protect the government property and not for his (Manpreet) security”.

In fact, Manpreet has become a good example for the Punjab police to scale down the security cover of VIPs on the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. “We can tell such VIPs now that if Manpreet, even after being a senior minister, can do without security cover, why they should be provided with the security”, said a senior police officer.

Politicians and other VIPs are in public life as they have opted for it as career. If they feel threat to their life without any valid reason, then they should withdraw from the public life and avoid being a burden on public exchequer, says a political scientist.