Twice rejected by Chidambaram, Beni finally gets Z+ security

The Home ministry (MHA) has extended Z-plus category security to Union Steel minister Beni Prasad Verma, changing its mind and acceding to his request after previous home minister P Chidambaram had turned him down twice.

This highest category of security has also been provided to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who is accused of involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, BSP MP Brajesh Pathak, former MLA from Punjab Manjinder Singh Kang and Congress MP from Punjab Sukhdev Singh Libra.

Government sources said that Verma has cited some threat calls to avail the security and the CISF has been asked to provide cover to him.

Bhagwat and Kumar are already entitled to security by the Maharashtra police and Delhi police respectively, but the MHA has decided to deploy CISF also in their cordon as a double net. At least 70-80 people are required to be deployed in the security ring of a person entitled to the Z-plus category.

The MHA has also cleared the name of former external affairs minister S M Krishna for the Y category.

In a bid to ease overburdened local or state police from providing security cover to VVIPs, the MHA is considering handing over such duties to central armed police forces which function under it.

The CISF has deployed 1,300 men for VVIP security and is also planning to increase the strength of its Special Security Group (SSG).

"We are also providing cover to Manipur CM Ibobi Singh. There are plans that more VIP's will be protected by us since we have a dedicated SSG for the purpose," said

Rajiv, DG, CISF.

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