Maha govt reduces security of ex-CM Fadnavis Raj Thackeray

(Eds: correcting Athawale's security in 11th para)
    Mumbai, Jan 10 (PTI) The Maharashtra government has
reduced the security of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly
Devendra Fadnavis and his family, former UP governor Ram Naik
and MNS president Raj Thackeray, and withdrawn the security
cover of state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.
    State BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhye termed it as
"vendetta politics", while former chief minister Fadnavis said
this would not impact his plans to travel and meet people.
    As per a government notification issued on January 8,
Fadnavis will now get 'Y-plus security with escort', instead
of the 'Z-plus' cover. The security of his wife Amruta
Fadnavis and daughter Divija has been downgraded from 'Y-plus
with escort' to 'X' category.
    Former Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik will now get
'Y' cover instead of 'Y-plus'.
    MNS chief Raj Thackeray's security cover has been
downgraded from 'Z' to 'Y plus with escort'.
    The security covers of BJP leader and former CM
Narayan Rane, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil and senior
party leader Sudhir Mungantiwar have been withdrawn. Rane had
'Y-plus' security.
    Besides, the security of state Lokayukta M L Tahiliani
has been downgraded from 'Z' to 'Y'.
    The government, as per the notification, has upgraded
the security of two persons, downgraded of 11, withdrawn of
16, while 13 new people have got security cover.
    Prominent among the new persons to get security are
Sunetra Pawar, wife of state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar,
and Varun Sardesai, secretary of the Yuva Sena and nephew of
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's wife Rashmi Thackeray.
    Both have been given 'X' security cover.
    Union minister Ramdas Athawale will get only 'Y-plus'
instead of the 'Y-plus with escort', while central minister
Raosaheb Danve's 'Y-plus' cover has been withdrawn.
    The government has also withdrawn the security cover
of former minister Rajkumar Badole, BJP MLAs Prasad Lad and
Ram Kadam, and former speaker and BJP legislator Haribhau
Bagde.
    The state has also withdrawn the 'X' category security
of former Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh, who quit
the party, andBJP's former minister Shobhatai Fadnavis, an
aunt of Devendra Fadnavis.
    Senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam's 'Y-plus with escort'
cover has been upgraded to 'Z', while film actor and Congress
leader Shatrughan Sinha's 'Y-plus' cover has been upgraded to
'Y-plus with escort'.
    The security of BJP's former minister Ashish Shelar
has been downgraded from 'Y-plus' to 'Y'.
    State Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Naik
Nimbalkarand Relief and Rehabilitation minister Vijay
Wadettiwar will get 'Y-plus with escort', while Shiv Sena MLA
Vaibhav Naik, who had defeated Narayan Rane in the 2014
Assembly polls, will get 'X' security cover.
    Current state ministers Sandeepan Bhumre, Sunil Kedar,
Dilip Walse Patil and Abdul Sattar, Leader of Opposition in
the Council Pravin Darekar and state Assembly's Deputy Speaker
Narhari Zhirwal have been given 'Y' cover.
    Meanwhile, state BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhye alleged
that the security of Fadnavis and other BJP leaders was
downgraded out of "political vendetta".
    "The decision shows what kind of a mindset the
government has, and it is unfortunate. During the COVID-19
lockdown period, Fadnavis was travelling to the nook and
corner of the state, while Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was
sitting at home," he claimed.
    Upadhye said Fadnavis was the first to reach Bhandara
where 10 babies died in fire at a hospital on Saturday.
    "Even if the entire security cover is removed, he
(Fadnavis) would continue to travel in the state and highlight
the voice of the people," the BJP leader said.
    Reacting to the government's decision, Fadnavis said
he had no complaints or worry.
    "I am a people's person and this doesn't impact my
travel (schedules) to meet people," he said.
    Narayan Rane said he was given security by Mumbai
police because he had a threat from terrorists.
    "I have no complaints. If anything happens to me, the
state government is to be blamed," he said.
    Sudhir Mungantiwar said he was given security due to
Naxal threat.
    "I thank the government for withdrawing my security
cover. This means the Naxal threat doesn't exist. Our aim to
highlight people's voice will be more stronger," he said. PTI
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)