Bihar new dyCM gets a security upgrade, BJP questions move, Nitish hits back

The Bihar government has decided to provide 'Z-plus"security to deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav.

The Bihar government on Friday accorded “Z-plus security cover”of Bihar Special Armed Police (BSAP) commandos and a “bulletproof car” to Tejashwi Yadav who was sworn-in as the new deputy chief minister of the eastern state.

Reacting to the decision to provide Z-plus security cover for Tejashwi Yadav, senior BJP leader Sushil Modi said, why do they need so much security?

According to reports, the decision to provide “Z- plus security” cover for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader was taken by the state security committee. The ‘Z-plus security’ comprises a pilot, an escort, close protection team, house guard, spotters, search and frisking staff, among others in the form of several plain-clothes security personnel and BSAP armed commandos, a senior police officer said.

The Nitish Kumar government’s decision to stipulate “Z-plus security cover" for Yadav, however, has drawn flak from BJP leaders, with senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Modi questioning the move "Why do they need so much security?” he said.

Taking to Twitter, the Rajya Sabha MP wrote, “I was never given a bulletproof car, not Z-plus security either. With minimum security, I served the public for a long time from the government residence at Polo Road.” People are now scared that they have come to power, he added.

Kumar hit back saying “(the BJP) speak nonsense. Why should he not get the cover?” He is the deputy CM with “obvious security needs”.

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The Z category is the second-highest security cover given to high-risk individuals in the country.

Kumar also supported Yadav's claim of providing “10 lakh jobs”, and said the state government will follow through on Yadav's election promise of employment creation, “we will definitely try to fulfil that promise to the best of our ability”, he said.

Soon after taking oath as deputy CM on Wednesday, Yadav said there will be hundreds of jobs on offer for the poor and youth within a month. “Bihar did what the country needs to do. We've shown them a way. Our fight has been against unemployment. Our CM felt the pain of the poor and youth. We'll give bumper jobs within one month to the poor and youth. It will be something so grand that it has never happened before,” the RJD leader had said.

(With agency inputs)