New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Opposition INDIA bloc leaders on Saturday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Bihar government after former Chief Minister Rabri Devi sent back all security personnel deployed at her official residence following the Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary-led government’s decision to withdraw the Z+ security cover provided to her and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Defending the Bihar government’s decision, the BJP took a jibe at Rabri Devi and Lalu Yadav, saying the security cover is not a “status symbol”.

Janshakti Janta Dal President Tej Pratap Yadav denied that Rabri Devi voluntarily surrendered her security.

He said: “My mother (Rabri Devi) has not surrendered any security. The security personnel were removed because they were being pressurised.”

Launching a scathing attack on the Bihar government, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said: “Nothing could be more unfortunate than this if the security of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, who are former Chief Ministers of Bihar, are made a tool of “political vendetta”. What will be achieved by doing so?”

Purnea MP Pappu Yadav blamed the BJP government in Bihar of attempting to divert attention from real issues.

Moreover, he asserted that one should refrain from debating on such issues.

“I would even urge Tejashwi Yadav that this is not an issue to debate on, you are a leader of a strong society. The government always targets the Opposition. It does not have any other issue,” he told IANS.

Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan also called the matter “unfortunate”.

“The way the Bharatiya Janata Party, whether at the Central government level or at the state level, is trying to suppress Opposition leaders and intimidate them is deeply concerning. It is weakening the country’s democracy piece by piece,” he commented.

Further referring to the incident as “condemnable”, Khan said: “Leaders who require security wherever they go should be provided proper protection, and necessary steps should be taken to ensure it.”

However, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that there are certain government rules for security.

“If someone falls under those rules, then they are provided security. But the government says they do not fall under those criteria, so how can security be provided?” he asked.

“If they are fighting for status symbol, then Lalu Yadav should tell the Chief Minister (Samrat Choudhary) that ‘it is a status symbol for us, please provide us security’,” he remarked.

Bihar BJP President Sanjay Saraogi said: “It is good if they (Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad Yadav) don’t want security, however the government is ready to provide the same in their capacity as former Chief Ministers of a state.”

Rashtriya Lok Morcha Chief and MP Upendra Kushwaha said that the Bihar government took some necessary action and as a reaction to it, “they (Rabri Devi and Lalu Prasad Yadav) surrendered their security”.

JD-U spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said that it is an effort to intentionally create differences.

“It is a process of the government which determines security protection for politicians and must be respected,” he told IANS.

–IANS

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