JKNPP leader claims withdrawal of his security cover

He said earlier the leaders of opposition despite their nationalistic credentials had been placed under house arrest for nearly two months in Jammu region

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh claimed on Saturday that his security has been withdrawn by a “biased administration” in an apparent move to restrict his movement.

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Accusing the government of playing “petty politics”, Singh alleged that those highlighting the “omissions and commissions” of the ruling dispensation were being divested of their security as a measure of political vendetta.

Addressing the media here, he said earlier the leaders of opposition despite their nationalistic credentials had been placed under house arrest for nearly two months in Jammu region as well without citing any cogent and justifiable reason for their preventive detention.

“And now they had been cherry picked for withdrawal of security which continued to be provided to the blue-eyed political activists and workers of the ruling party (BJP),” he added.

Singh alleged that it was the political affiliations rather than threat perception which formed the basis for security categorisation of political persons in the Union Territory and urged for direct intervention of president Ram Nath Kovind in view of “gravity of the matter”.

He said despite being a legislator for 18 years and presently heading a recognised political party, he has been divested of his security as a part of “political conspiracy”.

“As the head of a recognized political party, I had to visit various parts and constituencies which did not find favour with a biased and hostile administration,” he said, claiming that several “small-time workers” of the BJP had been provided security vehicles and a paraphernalia of security personnel on political considerations.

Further the ruling dispensation was selectively targeting those who had the temerity to question the misdeeds and other anti-people policies of the ruling dispensation, said Singh.

Singh said that despite life threats issued to him besides several attempts on his life by anti-social/anti-national elements, the ruling party had forced the withdrawal of his security.