Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan announced on Saturday that the security cover for Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has been upgraded following intelligence inputs suggesting potential threats. As the state prepares for the upcoming assembly elections, the Maharashtra police have enhanced Fadnavis’s security by incorporating ex-Force One personnel to ensure his safety.
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Fadnavis, who also serves as the Home Minister, currently holds a ‘Z plus’ security status, managed by the Special Protection Unit of the Maharashtra police. “His security was upgraded based on intelligence reports,” Mahajan, a senior leader of the ruling BJP, informed reporters in Pune.
The announcement, however, has drawn skepticism from opposition leaders. Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) criticized the necessity of increased security for Fadnavis, questioning, “Who poses a danger to Fadnavis? He is the home minister of the state. Is he facing danger from the CM? How can the home minister enhance his security and deploy a commando force which is trained to fight terrorists? Is Israel, Ukraine going to attack Fadnavis,” Raut asked.
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In response to Raut’s remarks, Mahajan dismissed the criticism as baseless, suggesting that if Raut is questioning Fadnavis’s security, he might as well query why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is afforded ‘Z plus’ protection.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar weighed in, stating that if the government perceives a threat to Fadnavis, it must take appropriate measures. He also indicated that the need for additional security could imply a serious concern.
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