TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After Manohar Parrikar, we have yet another Chief Minister who wants to shun away with the VIP and security culture. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while proposing reduction in his daily security, has asked police not to salute him every time he passes on the road.
Fadnavis wants his fellow political colleagues to change their mindset towards having VVIP culture and unwarranted security.
“I feel, today, Chief Minister’s do not require to be saluted every time he passes by from traffic cop. I have told police force in Maharashtra to do away with this system as I am not in favour of all this,” the Maharashtra Chief Minister said, addressing ongoing ‘Women Economic Forum’ in Goa.
“I don’t believe in VVIP culture. This was a culture created during the British rule and at some point of time even after Independence the VVIP and security culture was needed,” the BJP leader said.
“But today we don’t need that culture as India is a free country. I believe that it is pointless to have unwanted security or using access number of convoys to Chief Minister and Council of Ministers. This is wastage of manpower,” Fadnavis said. “No doubt you require additional security when you travel some sensitive areas or when it is protocol but not always. It is different case when we speak about the Prime Minister or Union ministers, the do need security,” he added.
Spelling out how he reduced the security around him, Fadnavis said soon after taking over as a chief minister, he asked the police department to carry out audit of his security. “They offered me Z plus security with total fifteen convoys. I was against this but took it as they said Chief Minister of Maharashtra has threat from naxals,” he explained. “But I cut down the convoys from fifteen to five and now further wants to reduce to two,” he added.
