Left lashes out at govt for giving Z-plus cover to Ambani

New Delhi, April 22: Left parties today lashed out at the government for providing armed commando cover to top corporate leader

, saying the common people have been left in the lurch as gruesome incidents of rape keep happening.

"It is unprecedented that at a time when such ghastly and gruesome incidents of rape are taking place and people are demanding more security, Z-plus category of security is given to a top corporate leader like Ambani and the commoners left in the lurch," senior CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia told reporters here.

In the same vein, veteran CPI leader A B Bardhan said at a time when the "police force is unable to provide security to its citizens, ensure safety for women, and even 4 or 5-year-old girl children are raped under their very nose, the government has ordered Z-plus security for the country's richest corporate tycoon Mukesh Ambani and even protection for his sprawling residential building 'Antilia'."

"Our party demands that the government order be rescinded and the CRPF be sent back for their primary task," Bardhan said, adding, "This is the first time a private person, because he happens to be an Ambani, is being provided with such security for his person and his residence by a government which is failing every day to protect the common man, especially women and children."

He said, "It is matter of shame for this government and shows for whom it works. Mukesh Ambani has all the resources at his command to provide security for himself and his establishments."

To a question whether CPI(M) would support capital punishment in gruesome rape cases, Acharia said, "We will consider it, discuss it further, especially individual cases....The situation has changed and, therefore, this issue has to be thought over."

PTI