Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh on Wednesday said that his party convener and Delhi’s Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal will not take Z-plus security as it could cut him off from the common man.
Ashutosh made the statement a day after the Delhi Police announced that as per protocol Mr. Kejriwal was to be given Z-plus category of security, which is the highest level of security provided to politicians.
The security entourage includes over three dozen personnel, besides pilot and escort vehicles.
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“If we claim he is the people’s Chief Minister, he shouldn’t be cut off from them. He has to be accessible to the public and Z-plus category security prevents one from doing that,” said Ashutosh adding that the role security personnel are expected to fulfil is managing the crowds.
“This will be to make sure that no inconvenience is caused when the Chief Minister is on the move,” he said.
However, the Uttar Pradesh Police also swung into action by announcing the deployment of personnel around Mr. Kejriwal’s Ghaziabad home.
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A senior police officer from the district said till the next Delhi Chief Minister relocates to an accommodation in the Capital, his apartment in Kaushambi would be guarded by 10 inspectors, 50 male constables and 10 women constables.
Mr. Kejriwal and his party has argued that they were opposed to any kind of VIP culture.
During Mr. Kejriwal’s last term as Chief Minister, he had refused security because of which Delhi Police had to reorient their apparatus every time Mr. Kejriwal visited a place and even during his commute from one point to the other.
His government’s first ‘janta darbar’ or public meeting outside the Delhi Secretariat led to a chaotic situation and a security concern when hundreds of those who had come with grievances forced Mr. Kejriwal to leave the venue midway.