MHA GRANTS CENTRAL SECURITY COVER TO ALL BJP MLAS IN BENGAL

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: The Centre on Monday accorded ‘X’ category VIP security cover of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to 61 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs in West Bengal in view of the alleged violence against party leaders and workers in the state, people familiar with the development said.

With this decision, all newly elected 77 MLAs of BJP in the 294-seat assembly are now being provided security cover by the central forces. Leader of opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated chief minister Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram, already has a second highest ‘Z’ category security cover from the Central Reserve Police Force.

Officials cited above said the ministry of home affairs (MHA) approved the security cover for 61 MLAs, who had no protection till now, after taking into consideration a report prepared by intelligence agencies as well as the inputs shared by the fourmember team that visited the state last week to assess postpoll violence there.

At least 16 people were killed in violence that rocked the state after Trinamool Congress won a thumping victory in the assembly polls last Sunday.