Maharashtra govt reduces security cover of Devendra Fadnavis, Raj Thackeray

Maharashtra government has reduced the security of Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis and his family, former Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, while withdrawing the security of state unit chief Chandrakant Patil of BJP Have taken State BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhyay termed it as revenge politics, while Fadnavis said it would not affect his plans to travel and meet people.

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As per the government notification issued on January 8, Fadnavis will now get 'Y-Plus category protection with escort instead of Z-Plus category'. At the same time, the security escort of former Chief Minister's wife Amrita Fadnavis and daughter Divija has been reduced from Y-Plus category to X category. Former Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik will now get Y-class security instead of Y-Plus. The safety of the MNS chief has been reduced from the Z category to the Y Plus category with the escort.

Security has been withdrawn for BJP leader and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane, state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil and senior party leader Sudhir Mungantiwar. Rane had Y-Plus class security. Apart from this, the security of the state Lokayukta ML Tahiliani has been reduced from Z category to Y category. 

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According to the notification, the government has increased security of two people, security of 11 has been reduced, security of 16 people has been withdrawn, while 13 new people have been given security.

The newcomers to the security include Sunetra Pawar, wife of the state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and Varun Sardesai, Secretary of the Youth Army. Sardesai is a relative of Rashmi Thackeray, wife of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Both are given 'X class protection. 

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale will get only Y-Plus category security instead of Y Plus including escort, while Union Minister Raosaheb Danve's Y-Plus category security has been withdrawn. The government has withdrawn the security of former ministers Rajkumar Badole, BJP MLAs Prasad Lad and Ram Kadam, and former Assembly Speaker and BJP MLA Haribhau Bagde.

'X-class security' of former Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh and former minister and BJP leader Shobhatai Fadnavis has been withdrawn. Shobhatai is the aunt of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam's' Y-Plus category security with escort has been increased to Z and actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha's security has been increased from Y Plus to Y-Plus category. Security of former BJP minister Ashish Shelar has been reduced from Y-Plus category to 'Y' category.

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State Legislative Council President Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar and Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Vadettivar will be given Y-Plus category security along with escort, while Shiv Sena MLA Vaibhav Naik, who defeated Narayan Rane in the 2014 assembly elections, will get X class security. . State ministers Sandipan Bhumre, Sunil Kedar, Dilip Valsay Patil and Abdul Sattar, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Praveen Darekar and Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly Narhari Jhirwal will be given the Y category protection. 

Meanwhile, BJP state unit spokesperson Keshav Upadhyay alleged that the security of the former chief minister and BJP leader has been reduced under the politics of revenge.

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