Kolkata, May 17 (IANS) After curtailing the security of Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee, the West Bengal government has now reduced the security cover outside the residences of the party’s many leaders.

The names of Trinamool Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Kumar, veteran party leader Shovandeb Chattopadhyay and party MLA Kunal Ghosh have been added to the list of those whose security has been cut.

It was learned on Sunday that apart from Rajeev Kumar, the security stationed at the residences of 10 Trinamool leaders and former ministers has been reduced. The guardrails outside their houses have also been removed.

Soon after the formation of the BJP government in the state, the security cover of Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee was cut. During the Trinamool Congress government, he was provided an elaborate security cover by the state government. His residence at Harish Chatterjee Street had been turned into a security fortress. Many had raised questions on why he was given such heavy security cover when he was just an MP and was not even a minister.

Days after forming the government, Banerjee’s security was curtailed, and he will get the security as provided to an MP, said officials.

On Sunday morning, it was learnt that the guardrails outside the houses of Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee, current Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay and MLA Kunal Ghosh have been removed. In addition, the names of senior Trinamool Congress leaders, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Aroop Biswas and Subrata Bakshi, are also on the list whose security is being reduced. It is alleged that many leaders got more security than was required during the Trinamool era.

From now on, Rajeev Kumar and Kalyan Banerjee will get security as MPs. Kunal Ghosh is an MLA and will get the security of a legislator. Aroop Biswas and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay are no longer ministers. Moreover, Aroop Biswas also lost the election. Therefore, the security has been removed accordingly, said the officials.

The security of Director of Security Piyush Pandey, who was earlier the Acting Director General of Police (DGP), has been reviewed. According to government officials, his security has also been cut.

–IANS

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