Kolkata: Rejecting Mamata Banerjee government’s vehement opposition, the Centre has deployed a Central para-military force team to provide Z-category security cover to West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
On Tuesday, a team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos took over his security following an order from the ministry of home affairs (MHA) which accorded him Z-category security cover.
Mr Dhankhar was seen escorted by four CPRF commandos, wearing bulletproof jacket and carrying close-quarter battle weapons, in a convoy in the morning when he went to attend a programme at Sports Authority of India complex in Salt Lake. A CRPF officer was leading the commando team.
The Kolkata Police personnel were also there in the governor’s security ring. Besides, a separate office for the CRPF liaisoning is being set up in Raj Bhavan where a contingent of around 28 jawans would be posted, according to sources.
The CRPF deployment would be for round-the-clock protection.
Only last month, the state government had shot off a protest letter to the MHA, opposing the Centre's move to provide Z-category security cover and a Central force’s protection to Mr Dhankhar whose convoy had got stuck amidst protest by the students at the Jadavpur University where he had gone to rescue Union minister Babul Surpiyo after he was assaulted there on September 19.
Sources in Raj Bhawan claimed that a communication from the governor’s office was sent to the state government on upgrading Mr Dhankhar’s security from Z to Z-plus category after the incident. But no reply came, sources revealed.
When the MHA took up the matter and reviewed threat perception of Mr Dhankhar to decide security upgradation, the state government in its letter had stated that the CRPF security cover was not needed for him since he gets protection from the state police as his security is the state government's responsibility. It had also appealed to the MHA to review its decision.
