WB Guv attends programme with 'Z' category security cover

Kolkata, Nov 12: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar who has been accorded 'Z' category protection by the union home ministry, Tuesday attended programmes with his new security cover.

According to Raj Bhawan sources, the Z category security cover by central police forces supplemented the protection to the governor by the state government. Dhankhar attended a program at the SAI complex at Salt Stadium in the city with his new security cover.

The MHA had on October 15 issued an order directing the CRPF to take charge of Dhankhar's security that will be valid in all parts of the country.

The West Bengal government had urged the union home ministry to reconsider its decision on entrusting the security of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar to CRPF. The decision, it said, demeaned the state government but the appeal was turned down.

The Raj Bhawan sources said that a communication was sent to the state government to upgrade the governor's security from Z to Z+ category after his vehicle was blocked inside the Jadavpur University campus allegedly by its students when he went there on September 19 to 'rescue' Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who had been gheraoied by a section of students.

Dhankhar has been locked in a war of words with the state government over a number of issues -- ranging from his seating at the Durga Puja carnival to comments on his security -- since the Jadavpur University episode.

Dhankhar had convened administrative meetings twice in North and South 24 Parganas district in the last two months but none of the senior state government officers attended those meetings citing that government permission is needed to attend meetings with him.

The West Bengal BJP had welcomed the move claiming that the heckling of Supriyo inside the Jadavpur University campus proved that law and order situation has broken down in the State.