Rampur: A day after his Y-category security cover was withdrawn by the Uttar Pradesh government, Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan has now been given “provisional security,” according to police.
Additional Superintendent of Police (of Rampur) Sansar Singh told PTI that Azam Khan had been given security cover at the district level.
Khan’s Y category security cover had been withdrawn on Thursday by the state government.
The officer said the decision was reappraised and it was decided to give Khan a security cover at the district level.
“It was felt at the district level that it is necessary to provide him security, so the Superintendent of Police deployed security and sent a report to the government,” he said.
“This security is not a Y-category security cover. Under this arrangement, three gunners will be provided to him,” he added.
Reacting to the development, SP spokesperson Deepak Ranjan said that the withdrawal of Khan’s cover was “undemocratic” a senior politician as he is.
“The Y-category security cover of Azam Khan was withdrawn in an undemocratic manner. He has been a senior legislator and a Cabinet minister in UP,” Ranjan told PTI.
He said the government was forced to accord him a provision security cover after strong objections to its withdrawal by his peers from the SP in Rampur.
Sansar Singh had on Friday said that according to a letter they had received from the security headquarters in Lucknow, there was no need to continue to give Y-category security to Khan, a 10-time MLA from Rampur. His security cover was taken off in compliance with the order.
Under the Y-category security, Khan was given three gunmen who were posted at his residence round-the-clock, the ASP said.
SP’s UP unit chief Naresh Uttam Patel had on Friday slammed the move claiming there was still threat to Khan’s life.
“There is a threat to his life. What can be more unfortunate than this? Today there are BJP leaders, who do not need any security, but they are moving around with Y-category security,” Patel had said.
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