Congress condemns move to withdraw Tarun Gogoi's NSG cover

The opposition Congress in Assam has condemned the move to withdraw National Security Guards (NSG) security cover of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and termed it politically motivated.

Sources close to Gogoi said on Thursday that the three-time Assam Chief Minister has received a letter from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) conveying to him the decision to withdraw the NSG security cover.

There is, however, no mention about the Z+ security cover, to which the former Assam Chief Minister is entitled.

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora condemned the central government's move and said it shows the Bharatiya Janata Party's vindictiveness.

"This is unwarranted. This should not have happened. It is only six months that the former Chief Minister had left his office and the threat perception is still there. If something happens to him, the Ministry of Home Affairs will be responsible," Bora said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia also condemned the move and said it is a motivated move by the government to silence Gogoi.

"We have seen that the former Chief Minister had been very vocal against the ruling government against all its wrong decisions and anti-people policies. Now the state government has taken a calculated move to silence Gogoi by withdrawing the NSG security cover," Saikia said.

"We condemn this decision of the government," he added.

A senior official of Assam police, however, said the police are yet to receive any instructions in this regard.

"However, in case the central government has decided to withdraw the NSG security cover, Gogoi will continue to get the security cover according to the Z+ category protocol," he said.

Apart from Gogoi, former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is entitled to NSG security cover.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is entitled to Z+ security cover only and his security is provided by the state police commandos.

Although Assam police recommended NSG security cover for Sonowal, it is yet to be cleared by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

--IANS

ah/pgh/bg