Ex-min Wadettiwar: Will visit Naxalite-hit areas despite removal of security cover

Nagpur: Former cabinet minister Vijay Wadettiwar, of the Congress party, said the decision by state government to remove his security cover seems to have political shades. He added that even though his work comprised touring of naxal-infested areas, the state government still went ahead and removed his security cover.
“The state government should not have removed security cover just because we are political opponents. MLA Ravi Rana is not part of the government and yet he gets security cover. And even though I work in Gadchiroli, the government decided to withdraw my security,” said Wadettiwar.
He added that such a decision won’t have any impact on his work. “I will continue to tour naxal-hit areas and do my work. There will be no reduction in my visits to such places. And I strongly feel that in future, the government will think in great detail before taking any such steps,” said Wadettiwar.
The Bramhapuri MLA said that security decisions require a look into other parameters. “The general rule of thumb is that a report is prepared about the threat perception to an individual, and based on that the state government takes a call on security cover,” said Wadettiwar.
TOI had reported on Saturday how security cover of many Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders had either been cut or withdrawn. Among Wadettiwar’s colleagues in the Congress party, those affected by the security cover reduction/withdrawal are Nana Patole and Balasaheb Thorat.
In the NCP, leader of opposition Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Dilip Walse-Patil have also got their security reduced. From Shiv Sena (Uddhav group), former minister Anil Parab too saw his cover being removed completely similar to Patole and Thorat.