A BJP spokesperson in Rajasthan has questioned the Z-plus security cover provided to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, asking whether the measure could be perceived as a mere “status symbol”.
Kailash Nath Bhatt, who is also a senior advocate, raised the issue in a post in Hindi on his Facebook page on Monday.
“God has taken the responsibility of providing security to everyone, so why fear? You should consider whether this security arrangement will make you inaccessible to ordinary swayamsevaks and whether this arrangement will not be called a status symbol?” Bhatt wrote in the post.
Bhatt, who has been a full-time sangh pracharak for four years, said he was not aware why the ‘sarsanghchalak’ (Bhagwat) was provided Z-plus security cover and whether he had accepted it.
He pointed out that even security personnel were not secure across the country and that nearly 20 soldiers were killed in a recent ambush in the northeastern state of Manipur.
The Central government recently directed the paramilitary Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to provide round-the-clock protection to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief, who has been in the Z-plus category since 2012.
Earlier, the Maharashtra Police were responsible for Bhagwat’s security.Bhatt, a seasoned leader of the BJP that rules Rajasthan, said in his post that God had protected Balasaheb Deoras (Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras, the third RSS chief) in adverse circumstances while former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her security guards.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the Maharashtra Police were responsible for Bhagwat’s security.Bhatt, a seasoned leader of the BJP that rules Rajasthan, said in his post that God had protected Balasaheb Deoras (Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras, the third RSS chief) in adverse circumstances while former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her security guards.
{{/usCountry}}He apologised for his post but said he could not hold back his views on the issue.According to political sources, the post has annoyed Sangh Parivar functionaries and some BJP leaders.
Bhatt was asked to withdraw the post but refused to do so, saying it presented his personal views and not the official stand of the party.“I got emotional on the issue and posted it out of ignorance.
I am curious about the threat to the sarsanghchalak. It was my personal view and not the official stand as a party spokesperson. I apologise if it hurt someone’s sentiments,” Bhatt told Hindustan Times.
The post received nearly 140 likes, 50 comments and 13 shares at the time of filling this report.
But former state BJP president Mahesh Sharma said such issues should not be debated in public. “This is a serious issue. We should have faith in rules and the standards of the country’s security agencies and organisations. You (Bhatt) spoke your mind, it is good. Keep in mind our information is limited,” he said.