Maharashtra Guv Writes To Union Home Secy, Demands Central Security Forces For Shinde Camp

The Centre extended Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos to at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs on Sunday, officials said.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari

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New Delhi: Amid protests against rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari wrote to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday, urging adequate provision of Central Security Forces be made and kept ready, if required. He also alleged that the police remained “mute spectator” while offices and homes of the rebels were vandalised. Koshyari had asked Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Seth to provide adequate police protection to the families and homes of rebel MLAs, a police official said, as reported by news agency PTI.

According to the report, in his letter dated June 25, Koshyari said he had received a representation from 38 Shiv Sena MLAs, two members of the Prahar Janshakti Party and 7 Independent MLAs saying police security of their families had been "illegally and unlawfully withdrawn".

"They have also raised serious concerns about the safety of their homes and families in the context of provocative and threatening statements being made by certain political leaders," Koshyari wrote in his letter to Bhalla.

The governor further said that he had already directed the state police to provide adequate protection to the MLAs and their families on an immediate basis.

"Despite this, offices and homes of some MLAs have been vandalized with police being a mute spectator. It is accordingly requested that adequate provision of Central security forces be made and kept ready, in case required to address the situation," he added.

Notably, the Centre extended Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos to at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs on Sunday, officials said.

As per reports, Shiv Sena cadres have been staging protests in various parts of Maharashtra since Saturday in view of the rebellion by Shinde and other MLAs. They burnt effigies of some MLAs, tore banners and also ransacked the office of an MLA in Pune.

It is to be noted that a bulk of Shiv Sena MLAs have been camping in Guwahati under the leadership of senior leader Eknath Shinde. They were taken to Surat from Mumbai on June 21 and then flown to Guwahati the next day.