After govt assessment, security for 15 Congress leaders downgraded

After a recent central government security assessment, the security for 42 politicians and government-appointees — including 15 Congress leaders — has been downgraded by the government. [caption id=“attachment_3738299” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AP[/caption] The security given to former defence minister AK Antony has been downgraded to Y-category, as also the cover the given to Congress leaders Ajay Maken, Shakeel Ahmad, Shashi Tharoor and former MP Vijay Inder Singla, reported The Indian Express. “The threat perception to VIPs is reviewed periodically by intelligence agencies and other security agencies. Based on their recommendations, the decision was taken to upgrade or downgrade the security cover,” the report quoted a source as saying. In January this year, Kerala Congress had questioned the central government’s decision to provide Y-category security to four BJP state leaders and said it was against the principles of federal structure. Opposition leader in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala had said that providing Y-category security to BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan and three general secretaries, MT Ramesh, K Surendran and PK Krishnadas without consulting the state government was not right and against the principles of federal structure. With inputs from PTI