The Hindu : National : Centre concerned over security during BJP yatras

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Saturday, Apr 01, 2006

National

National

Centre concerned over security during BJP yatras

Special Correspondent

Advani, Rajnath Singh face threats

NEW DELHI: With barely a week to go for the "rath yatras" of the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders L.K. Advani and Rajnath Singh, the Centre has again voiced its concern over the safety and security of the two leaders.

The Home Ministry has written to the BJP headquarters, informing the party vice-president about the intelligence reports that Mr. Advani and Mr. Singh faced threats to their personal security from terrorists and anti-national elements.

The yatras are scheduled to begin on April 6 and continue till May 10, passing through several States.

Advisories sent

"We have sent advisories to the States, through which the two rath yatras are scheduled to pass through, and sensitised them about the steps their respective Governments and administrations should take to ensure foolproof protection of Mr. Advani and Mr. Singh. It is very important that the BJP leaders are protected from any possible harm to them. We are taking all steps to ensure that the yatras remain safe and peaceful," Home Secretary V.K. Duggal told reporters here on Friday. He was talking to them on the sidelines of a coordination meeting of States affected by naxalite problem.

Mr. Duggal said that police chiefs of many of the States, through which the yatras would pass, were present at the meeting and security-related measures were discussed with them.

On an earlier occasion, the National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan had said that the Government had received specific inputs from intelligence agencies about threats to Mr. Advani's life.

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