Mumbai, Sept 13: Notwithstanding the expert committee's recommendation of downgrading the security of megastar Amitabh Bachchan and two others, Maharashtra government has decided to retain it, BJP national vice-president Gopinath Munde said here today. “The home department decided to retain the security cover to Bachchan, Congress and Shiv Sena MLAs Baba Siddiqui and Dagdu Sapkal respectively, Munde, whose security has been scaled down from Z plus to Z category, told reporters.
Munde was enjoying Z plus security since 1991, accorded to him by the then Sharad Pawar government even though “I was his (Pawar's) bitter critic,” the BJP leader said.
A committee headed by the chief secretary periodically reviews the security cover provided to prominent personalities and makes its recommendations. However, the home department has the discretion to scale down or enhance the protection on the basis of threat perception.
“A police sub-inspector took away my bullet-proof vehicle when I was on my way to the airport,” the BJP leader said, adding when he was away in Bhopal, police personnel without any prior information took away metal detector installed at his residence.

The government even did not observe normal courtesy of informing him about its decision, Munde added.

Bureau Report