The TDP has decried the State government’s decision to scale down the security cover to party national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The TDP has demanded that the government restore the security cover to its original level.
TDP State president Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao, in a statement on Tuesday, said that Mr. Naidu faced severe threat from “extremists, terrorists, fundamentalists, red sander smugglers, anti-social elements and political opponents.”
“In view of the threat, Mr. Naidu is being provided ‘Z plus’ category security with NSG mobile cover till date. The government, however, has unilaterally and arbitrarily decided to reduce the security cover to him. The strength of the security personnel has been drastically brought down by about 50%, from 146 to 67,” Mr. Venkata Rao said.
He further said that the security of Lokesh, former Minister and son of Mr. Naidu, too was downgraded to ‘X’ from ‘Z’ scale though he too faced threat from extremists.
“The reduction of security is purely politically motivated and does not have any merit,” he said.
“The TDP strongly condemns the politically motivated decision of the Security Review Committee (SRC) and demands restoration of security to its original level,” Mr. Venkata Rao said.
“The YSRCP government will be held responsible should anything happen to the above leaders due to reduction in security cover for them,” he added.
The State government had earlier made a similar attempt. Initially, security to Mr. Naidu’s family members had been withdrawn. In June last year, Mr. Naidu’s security was downsized. Later, the High Court ordered the government to provide full security cover while disposing of a petition filed by Mr. Naidu.
Mr. Naidu had escaped an attempt on his life by the Maoists in Tirupati in 2003 when he was the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh.
