Why police protection for Sena leaders?

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government and the Shiv Sena have been engaged in war of words over state security provided to Uddhav Thackeray.

But just who in the party gets VIP cover? NDTV found that the list includes those like Uddhav Thackeray's personal assistant and children from the Thackeray clan - who still very much in school.

Politics over security, after Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan threatened to take away Uddhav Thackeray's VIP cover.

"They can take away my security. Our leaders will return security," said Uddhav Thackeray, executive working president, Shiv Sena.

At a time when the government is trying to safeguard the public from the Shiv Sena's threat of violence the irony is that nearly 30 people connected with the party have been given police protection.

Sena leaders with VIP security include Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray who face a major security risk.

Name: Bal Thackeray                                          
Security grade: Z+
Guards: 36

Name: Uddhav Thackeray
Security grade: Z
Guards: 24

The VIP list also includes:

• Manohar Joshi and Sanjay Raut have X security
• A host of Thackeray family members including Uddhav's teenaged sons Aditya and Tejas also have security cover.
• Bal Thackeray's estranged son Jaidev
• Jaidev's ex-wife Smita Thackeray
• And Jaidev's children Rahul and Aishwarya
  

Those not on the VIP list still get one armed guard. Like:

• Uddhav's wife Rashmi Thackeray
• His personal assistant Milind Narvekar
• MLC Madhukar Sarpotdar who was convicted for the Mumbai riots
• And the children of Bal Thackeray's late son Binda: Neha and Nihar
  

Each security guard draws a salary of at least 16,000 per month. So, the cost of protecting the Thackeray Parivar doesn't come cheap.

But equally critics say the chief minister's posturing sends the wrong signal, that of political vendetta.

Especially since the police say that any act of violence against many on the Sena list could spark off communal disturbance.