New Delhi:
Even as the Supreme Court raised questions about lavish security arrangements provided to the VIPs, six more politicians will now be included in the 'Z-plus' security category. This comes months after the list of VIPs in this category was pruned during P Chidambaram's tenure as the Home Minister.
(Post your comments)The new list includes Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Member of Parliament Brajesh Pathak among others.
Mr Verma, the Steel minister, was provided with the enhanced security cover, after he claimed he was receiving threatening calls. Brajesh Pathak, a BSP politician and Rajya Sabha MP, also got back Z-plus security cover which was withdrawn during the pruning exercise.
In India, Centre alone protects over 380 VIPs, with at least three policemen guarding one VIP. Around 35 VIPs are there in the 'Z-plus' security list and are protected by 35 to 80 cops. Under Z category, around 50 VIPs are covered by at least 20 personnel each at any given point of time besides guards at home.
But there are only 137 policemen for every lakh of the population. The top court's rap came after the paucity of security for women, especially in Delhi, was highlighted in December when a medical student was fatally gang-raped by six men on a moving bus in the capital.
Official records also say that 22 per cent of police posts are vacant. According to the Centre, approximately Rs. 341 crore was spent on guarding VVIPs in Delhi last year, with most of this money spent on 376 individuals who had been given 'Z-plus' or central security forces.
During his tenure as Home Minister Mr Chidambaram had ensured that the list of VIPs enjoying enhanced security is properly scrutinised. As a result, several politicians, retired bureaucrats and some journalists lost the security cover.
However, after Mr Chidambaram's departure from the Home Ministry, politicians have again queued up for enhanced security cover. Some of them have been specific in asking for para-military commandos of their choice.