As Bihar goes for the first phase of polling on Monday, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has an added responsibility — to guard the politicians of Bihar, one of the worst hit by Naxal violence.
Of the 15 politicians accorded VIP security cover, 13 are from the BJP or members of its alliance.
The Union Home Ministry accorded the cover just ahead of election announcement. Among those added to the list are Sabir Ali, Veena Devi and Uday Singh. Mr. Ali, who was expelled from the Janata Dal (United) for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rejoined the BJP in July. An added perk for this former Rajya Sabha member was VIP security cover. When he joined the BJP in March, his membership was terminated because of protests within.
Ms. Devi is a Lok Jan Shakti Party MP. Uday Singh is a BJP MP from Purnea.
CRPF to keep an eye out for IEDs in Naxal-hit districts
The CRPF, keeping in mind the 2010 Assembly elections in Bihar when 10 security force personnel were killed, has taken extra measures to counter the main threat facing them — improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The first phase of the elections this time is crucial as the five most-affected Maoist districts — Jamui, Banka, Laksisarai, Nawada and Munger — are among the 49 constituencies that will go to polls on Monday.
“The East Bihar North Jharkhand Special Area Committee is the active Maoist formation in these five districts. We have trained our personnel to detect IEDs in these areas. Elections in and around the Bhimbandh forest area where Maoists had held their last congress during 2007 will be the main challenge,” said a senior CRPF officer.
During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, five security personnel were killed in IED blasts. This time training has been given to more than 2,000 personnel only to detect and handle IEDs.
Security cover
On security cover for politicians, the Centre had earlier extended security cover to Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, Pappu Yadav of the Jan Adhikar Morcha, Chirag Paswan of the Lok Jan Shakti Party, Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey, BJP MP from Maharajganj Janardhan Singh Sigarwal and BJP leader Jitender Swami.
Ashok Chaudhary, president of the Bihar Congress Committee, is the only politician apart from the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Lalu Prasad to get Central security cover.
Mr. Prasad, who is a NSG protectee, also has CRPF security cover when he travels in Bihar.
