Click to play videoSrinagar: J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad created a controversy when he asked legislators to give up their security if they believed Army strength in the state should be reduced. But many politicians in the may not even be entitled to special security.
Politicians, who are protected by the Special Security Group (SSG), were enraged when Azad told them if they announced that they didn’t want security he would write to the “within 24 hours write to the Centre for withdrawal.”
Enraged, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and senior leader Hassan Mir next day refused to take SSG protection and drove to militant-infested Aishmuqam village. The two leaders shouted at SSG the commandos, who insisted on accompanying them.
“They are stopping us; they have become a law onto themselves,” screamed Mir.
Mehbooba, her father former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, National Conference president Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah all have SSG cover.
But the SSG Act 2000-2001 clearly states that this elite security group must guard the chief minister's family only and not the relatives of former CMs.
Mehbooba says her security cover should become matter of politics. “This is not about power, nor politics but giving a sense of security to people and relief to them,” said.
Government officials said they find out if former CMs’ relatives were entitled to SSG cover but refused to speak on camera. A police officer, who wished not be named, said they were following the SSG Act “through spirit and not letter”.
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