Govt hits Sena where it hurts

Govt hits Sena where it hurts
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

JULY 18: Continuing its sudden belligerence against the Shiv Sena, the Maharashtra government has asked Commissioner of Police M N Singh to withdraw the security cover given to non-categorised persons to make additional manpower available to maintain peace in the city.

As a result nearly 200 Shiv Sena leaders will lose their security cover.

The decision means that anybody in the state who's security risk has not been categorised (such as Z plus for Thackeray), will lose their security. Though the government is applying a broad-brush and withdrawing police security to persons of all parties whose security risk has not been categorised, it will hit the Shiv Sena the hardest. That is because out of the about 215 persons who'll stand to lose security, a whopping 200 are Shiv Sena leaders. Only about 15 are from the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, BJP, Republican Party of India and Janata Dal.

``Specific instructions have been given to the police to reduce the security cover. While there will be absolutely no change in the security cover for Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and members of his family, the security of other leaders, who do not fall in any category, will be withdrawn in a day or two,'' a senior official of the home department said.

``It was essential to prune the security cover. During the Shiv Sena sponsored bandh on Sunday, we found that majority of the Shiv Sena leaders, who have been given security cover, were participating in unlawful activities. If the security cover is misused in such a manner, government will not be a silent spectator. Under such circumstances, there was no alternative but to withdraw their security,'' the official said.

This, the government thinks will considerably reduce the mobility of these Sena leaders because of the looming threat of the Chhota Shakeel gang which has eliminated many Sena corporators in the last few months. In fact, most of the Sena Shakha and Vibhang pramukhs were provided the security two months ago as a result of the string of assassinations.

While this security withdrawal will serve to keep these pramukhs, who are normally at the forefront of organising bandhs and stopping traffic, under check, the police is tightening security to tackle any eventuality. Besides deployment of companies of the State Reserve Police Force, personnel from the Rapid Action Force have also been summoned to aid the district administration.

Police Commissioner M N Singh is reviewing the situation on a daily basis and even Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal held separate meetings to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, after the Chief Minister signed the file granting permission to prosecute Thackeray, the Law and Judiciary Department is drafting the letter to be given to the Commissioner of Police. ``It will be a speaking order and will also explain the reasons for delay in granting the permission,'' an official said, adding, at the present speed, it will take at least a week to reach the order to M N Singh.