Bengal BJP leader Suvendu’s father, brother get Y-plus security cover

The Home Ministry has given Y-plus category security under the Central Reserve Police Force to Lok Sabha MPs Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari. They will be protected by a personal security officer each and 11 armed policemen, including commandos, according to the security protocol.

An MP from Kanthi Lok Sabha seat, Sisir Kumar Adhikari is the father of Suvendu Adhikari, who defeated Mamata Banerjee from Nandigram seat by a wafer-thin margin of 1,200 votes in the recent Assembly polls. Dibyendu Adhikari is Suvendu’s brother and represents Tamluk Lok Sabha seat.

As leader of the opposition in the state, Suvendu Adhikari already has a second highest ‘Z’ category CRPF security cover.

Also read: Ashamed I was in TMC for 21 years: Suvendu Adhikari

The MPs have been extended the security umbrella after all 77 newly-elected BJP MLAs of West Bengal were provided X security cover following large-scale violence triggered after the spectacular comeback of Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamoll Congress in the Assembly polls held in eight phases from March-end to late April.

Sources said BJP MLAs will enjoy their security in only West Bengal, not all over India. X-category security entails one gunman providing security to the protectee round the clock and may involve three or four security personnel on rotation.

Sisir Kumar Adhikari remains a parliamentarian of Trinamool Congress, the 79-year-old quit the party and joined the BJP in March. Dibyendu Adhikari remains a Trinamool MP from the Tamluk constituency.

Also read: TMC MP Sisir Adhikari, Suvendu’s father, joins BJP at Shah’s Bengal rally

Suvendu Adhikari, who till recently was a cabinet minister in the Mamata government, joined the BJP in December 2020 and has now been elected Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly.

The Centre and the West Bengal governments have in the past few weeks bitterly argued over the security protocol for the BJP MLAs, with the state government insisting that the Central forces have no power inside the Assembly premises.

The Union Home Ministry had cleared the security cover following reports prepared by Central agencies and the inputs of a team of officers that visited the state in the wake of the post-poll violence in West Bengal in which at least 16 people were killed.