As part of their security cover, the state government has, on the directives of the state intelligence department (SID) led by additional director general of police Ashutosh Dumbre, decided to provide traffic clearance vehicles to Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta Fadnavis and school education minister Deepak Kesarkar.
All four had 'X' category security in the past. It has now been upgraded to 'Y plus escort'. The idea of the traffic clearance vehicle is to ensure their movement in the city is hassle-free and smooth, sources said.
The decision comes in the wake of the recent increase and decrease in cover provided to several politicians, which has invited charges of partisanship from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, while the Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis government has said the matter is in the hands of the SID which decides on the basis of threat perception.
Soon after information about the traffic clearance vehicle provided to her via a decision made on October 27 became public on Wednesday, Amruta Fadnavis tweeted, "I am and wish to live like (a) common citizen of Mumbai. I humbly request Mumbai police not to provide me (a) traffic clearance pilot. Traffic condition in Mumbai is frustrating, but I am sure, with infra and development projects by Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, we will soon get relief."
Traffic clearance vehicle my entitlement & need: SpeakerA high-ranking IPS officer said traffic clearance vehicles are provided to persons with security cover on the instructions of the State Intelligence Department (SID). "Traffic vehicles are provided based on threat perception, and it is not the case that they are provided on a permanent basis. It all depends on the movement of the persons being protected. On occasions, the decision is taken by the commissioner of police or superintendent of police of a district," the officer said.
The IPS officer said rules of protocol and security are determined by the official blue and green books respectively. The blue book provides for protocol for the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Central and state dignitaries, whereas the green book provides for security protocol for these dignitaries. "We adhere to the norms prescribed in the blue and green books in letter and spirit," he said.
Assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar said traffic clearance vehicle has been provided to him as per instructions given in the green book. "In my opinion, it is my entitlement and requirement. Most of my predecessors were from the rural areas, and they used to visit Mumbai during the legislature session. I belong to Mumbai, and I visit various nooks and corners of the city for interacting with people. Under such circumstances, I feel I need traffic clearance vehicle for faster movement," Narvekar told TOI.
A former home secretary felt it is high time the new government led by Eknath Shinde takes a fresh look at the entire security scenario. "The new government should keep aside politics and take a decision based on merit. In my opinion, several politicians do not require security of such a high scale; it has become a status symbol. The SID should come out with a white paper on threat perception," he said.
The former home secretary added that the SID is working on free movement of VIPs but it must look at the plight of common citizens in Mumbai.
High-profile leader of the opposition Ajit Pawar, MPCC president Nana Patole, Congress legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat, former home minister Dilip Walse Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab were among the 20-odd Maha Vikas Aghadi politicians whose security cover was either drastically cut or withdrawn by the state government last week.