The ministers in Jharkhand are apparently reluctant to pay heed to the AAP-inspired fiat and to do away with the hooter sirens and unnecessary security forces, issued by Chief Minister Hemant Soren a few days back.
A few of them, who have partially followed, have now resorted to deploy the forces at their residence only instead of returning them back to the government to be deployed for the security of common man. “We are now using minimum security with our cavalcade which is required in the city, the rest are at our residences. I take them alongwith me only if I visit my constituency i.e. Barkagaon as it is a Naxal affected area,” said Agriculture Minister Yogendra Sao.
According to Sao, even they do not want to unnecessarily carry the security forces with them as the latter also need to be taken care of and become an extra burden for me. The Special Branch is informed about their movement while going out to their constituencies, he added, claiming that currently he is carrying a security of 2-1 with him in Ranchi.
Similarly, Tourism minister Suresh Paswan has started moving silently in the Ranchi who is also carrying a security of 4-1 with him and the rest of the security provided to him rest at his residence. “Following the CM’s directive, I have started carrying a security of 4-1 with my cavalcade without any unnecessary vehicle in it,” said Paswan. Paswan welcomed CM’s directive calling it a positive stop which minimizes the disturbance created among the people due to huge security and cavalcade.
Welfare minister Champai Soren however, is still waiting for the formal orders regarding the same which he will readily follow. “Currently I am carrying the security as per the requirement which will be decreased accordingly, if any order comes from the CM,” said the Welfare Minister.
Special branch, on the other hand, has no information about any of the ministers returning his security. “A review will be done from tomorrow and decision will be taken whether it will be curtailed or not and who actually needs how many of security forces followed by the directions issued by the Chief Minister. Some of the ministers coming from the Naxal affected areas must be provided adequate security,” said Special Branch DIG Dadanjee Sharma.
Sharma, however, denied of having any information regarding the ministers returning their security voluntarily to the special branch. At least 22 policemen have been deployed in the security of each minister in Jharkhand. Currently, all the 11 ministers have been provided security of Y-category, having a force of 1-4, 1-4 at each of their residences at Ranchi and their respective constituencies along with an escort security of 1-4. While Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been provided security of Z - Plus counting more than 50 security personnel in numbers.
The CM on Friday last had issued directions not to use sirens in Ranchi or any other town in the State. Soren had also directed that the ministers and officers should not travel with ‘unnecessary’ cars apart from the essential security vehicles, and should be sensitive to the problems faced by common people because of the unnecessary long cavalcade. The State Government, however, has ordered adequate security arrangements for the ministers and legislators going out on tours, particularly in Maoist-hit areas.