Devendra Fadnavis’s wife says ‘no’ to husband’s office security advantage

Bombay:

Maharashtra’s wife, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s wife Amruta Fadnavis, on Wednesday asked Mumbai police not to send a pilot vehicle as part of her security upgrade approved by the Interior Ministry led by her husband.

Amruta Fadnavis, a banker by trade, said that while the traffic situation in Mumbai is “frustrating”, things are likely to change for the better due to infrastructure development projects by the state government.

“I am and want to live as an ordinary citizen of #Mumbai. I humbly request @MumbaiPolice not to provide me with a traffic control pilot vehicle. The traffic situation in Mumbai is frustrating, but I am sure, with Infra & Development projects by @mieknathshinde & @ Dev_Fadnavis, we’ll get relief soon,” she tweeted, tagging a report stating that the state government recently assigned a “traffic-clearing vehicle” along with a security upgrade from X to Y+ with escort to her.

The upgrade to Y+ with escort category comes with security of an escort vehicle and five police officers around the clock. Such a vehicle performs tasks similar to a pilot vehicle, clearing road traffic for the protected person while traveling.

Aside from Ms Fadnavis, Mumbai police have also decided to provide Y+ security to actor Salman Khan following threats from mobster Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates. Salman Khan previously had X category security.

Actors Akshay Kumar and Anupam Kher have also been given X-category security, which means they will have three security guards on shifts to protect them.

Recently, the Fadnavis Department had authorized special Y+ security for all 41 MLAs and 10 Lok Sabha MPs from the Shiv Sena faction of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who revolted against his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray.

While protecting Mr Thackeray, his ally and veteran Maharashtra politician Sharad Pawar and their families, many leaders of their coalition saw a cut or cancellation of their coverage after the new government took charge.