Kolkata, June 18 (IANS) After Kolkata Police, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday also denied the allegations raised by three Trinamool Congress MPs on Wednesday night about the withdrawal of security arrangements for former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

He clarified that under no circumstances would she get personal security officers (PSOs) of her own choice.

On Wednesday, the Kolkata Police authorities replaced the two PSOs who had been with Mamata Banerjee since she became Chief Minister in 2011. Their replacements also arrived at her residence on Kalighat Road.

However, the former Chief Minister and her associates did not allow the PSOs to come as replacements. Instead, Trinamool Rajya Sabha members Derek O’Brien and Sagarika Ghose, along with the party’s Lok Sabha member Mahua Moitra, through their respective social media posts, accused the West Bengal government of withdrawing her security arrangements.

On Thursday, six Trinamool legislators, all belonging to the original bloc in the Trinamool legislative party with continued allegiance towards Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and the party’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, met the Chief Minister. They pleaded for the reinstatement of the PSOs who had been with her for so long to her security detail.

However, an insider aware of the development said the Chief Minister clearly told the six Trinamool legislators that under no circumstances could Mamata Banerjee get PSOs of her own choice.

Later, while speaking to media persons, the Chief Minister gave a detailed clarification on the matter.

He said the allegations of withdrawal or curtailing of the former Chief Minister’s security were baseless. She was getting the same security cover as before: ‘Z+’ security. The number of security personnel entitled to her had also remained the same.

Adhikari explained that even the security personnel for the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister are not permanent, adding, “My PSOs are also not permanent. She is seeking PSOs of her own choice. One cannot get their favourite person in any government system of functioning.”

–IANS

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