In an apparent bid to please the religious fraternity, Trivendra Singh Rawat Government has decided to provide Y- plus security cover to a number of religious leaders based in Haridwar. However, most of those sadhus favoured with such high-profile security cover are deemed to be close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological fount of the ruling party.
There are four eminent Haridwar-based saints among others who have been listed for Y plus grade security by the state government and three of them are said to be close to the RSS top brass.
Depending on the level of threat, security is classified into four main levels - X, Y, Z and Z+ category in which Z+ is the highest security level. While the X category security entails a security cover of two personnel, including one personal security officer (PSO), the Y category entails 11 personnel standing guard and two personal security officers.
Shankaracharya Rajrajeshwarashram, Shankaracharya Vasudevanand Saraswati and Ramanand Hansdevacharya are among the four favoured with the Y- plus security cover and significantly enough, all of them are often visited by the top RSS functionaries, including its chief Mohan Bhagwat. Besides, BJP leaders also make a beeline to meet and seek blessing from them.
Shankaracharya Swaroopanand of Jyotish Peeth is among those who are already being provided with the Y- plus security cover. Swaroopanand comes to Haridwar on special religious occasions. Besides him, Baba Ramdev , Bhola Maharaj, younger brother of the state tourism minister Satpal Maharaj and Mangla Mata have been receiving the same security cover. Its purpose is just to appease religious sadhus and leaders and this fact can never be denied from any side, one of the sources said.