BJP leaders to high command: Withdraw central security of new members
Kolkata: The infighting in state BJP unit has taken a new turn with many state BJP leaders requesting the Central leadership that security should be withdrawn from new-comers in BJP as neither they follow the BJP culture nor do they deserve it.
They claimed that they have noticed that the turncoats from TMC to BJP are enjoying the benefits of Central security forces 24 hours but many of them are now being accused of misusing them for personal purposes. Some of them were also accused of extortion. Few complaints have been lodged by Kolkata Police in this regard too. They receive 24 hours security cover and normally 4-8 CISF Jawans provide them security.
Senior BJP leaders said that two types of Central security forces were eligible for the BJP leaders. The MPs and some senior BJP leaders like Mukul Roy, Rahul Sinha and Dilip Ghosh enjoy CRPF security cover, while other BJP leaders enjoy CISF security forces. All together around 25 BJP leaders enjoy the central security forces in Bengal. In some cases, few of the senior BJP leaders security cover has been changed from Y to Z category based on a serious threat to life.
Sources in the state BJP said that some of the leaders who are enjoying CISF include Anupam Hazra, who had a brawl in a restaurant in January after he has been accused of molestation, theft and assault.
Complaints have also been filed against Rakesh Singh, who himself is facing numerous police complaints when he was in TMC. Other leaders include Sankhu Deb Panda, Kabir Shankar Bose, Sabyasachi Dutta, Siddhartha Sankhar Naskar, who enjoy CISF forces and also misuse them for personal purposes.
A senior BJP leader said: "Some senior BJP leaders who are fighting with TMC for years are deprived of the Central security forces, but the newcomers are enjoying the security cover, and many of them are misusing it. Providing Central security forces requires a huge expenditure on the Central government and during this time when the Union government is making all efforts to reduce the expenditure, then this unnecessary security should be withdrawn."
Sources in state BJP said that some of the MPs from Bengal including Arjun Singh, Locket Chatterjee, Nisith Pramanik, Saumitra Khan are eligible to get CRPF security cover.
Another senior BJP leader said: "A section of BJP leaders have expressed their reservation and asked to withdraw security cover from some of the new-comers. They feel that under the recommendation of party's in-charge for Bengal Kailash Vijaywargiya, some of the new-comers have received Central security forces and it should be withdrawn as they cited that many of them are misusing it for their personal reasons.
In August, BJP state president Dilip Ghosh's security cover was changed from Y to Z category as he complained to MHA based on a threat to his life. Ghosh claimed that he has been attacked in several places for the past one year in Bengal by his political opponent and so he needs a special security cover.
