For
the last few days, the news dailies or rather journalists in Goa are gung-ho,
lapping up what the police are feeding about the so called threat to Defence
Minister’s Manohar Parrikar life.
Reading
the news dailies last few days, the entire issue has started to seem like a
police managed drama. Or it would be appropriate to say BJP scripted and police
directed ‘tiatr’ to divert public attention from hordes of issues dogging the
government. For example re-defining coconut tree into grass, bull-dozing the
opposition over airport at Mopa, the sick financial health of State,
volte-facie on Medium of instruction and more importantly the rumours doing the
rounds that Parrikar might be stripped of the Defence Minister’s portfolio and
sent packing back to Goa.
It
all started with police receiving a letter with threats to the Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Police claimed that they
had zeroed upon the person who had posted the letter through CCTV footage at
one of the many post-offices in Goa but are yet to nab the culprit.
And
because of it the police are fussing over the Defence Minister Parrikar to accept
Z-plus security cover. He does use his Z-plus security while he is marking his
attendance in Delhi from Monday to Friday, but it is learnt the moment he sets-off
to Goa on Friday, he sheds it.
Since
the letter threat, top police brass in Goa seem to be begging, pleading,
rolling-over the Defence Minister to take security cover here too. I fail to
understand why the police have to fuss over him. If they genuinely feel he is
under threat they should provide it as a matter of right as the police or other
security forces are supposed to protect life and property. This is their cardinal
rule.
Arvind
Kejriwal during his 49 days stint as Delhi Chief Minister had also shunned
security cover for himself but he had also stated that he was aware that the
security personnel were following him everywhere.
If
security cover can be provided to a Chief Minister despite his refusal and that
too when Delhi police are not under the direct control of the Delhi government then
they do not require the permission of the Defence Minister to provide him
security cover.
It
does sound like a publicity stunt to show the people that he is an ‘Aam Admi’,
but over the period of time Goans have come to know Parrikar and his ways very
well. That he is not so simple as he dresses. So with these cheap gimmicks, BJP
ratings in Goa will not go higher and for all you know they might dip.
Manohar
Parrikar as a layman can refuse it, but as a Union Defence Minister he should
not create and compound a situation if the threat perception is real. However if
he continues to be adamant then he should put it down in writing that no security
agencies or personnel should be held accountable if at all an attempt is made
on his life, God forbid.
This
know-everything-man does not trust police one bit. There was time during his
stint as Chief Minister of Goa this tenure he asked the public a direct question
in presence of police, “what is the guarantee that the police will not pass-on
information of my location for consideration”? His inherent distrust of the
police and security forces is well known.
But
he is also well known to use, misuse and abuse police force. We in Goa can
vouch for it. Dr. Francisco Colaco, industrialist Datta Naik are living victims
of the misuse of this power.
After
all said and done why is this great tamasha of providing and accepting security
cover. Politicians of all hues have one common saying, ‘my life is an open book’.
If it is so why not accept security cover.
Does
he not want the general public to know about his weekend whereabouts or does
Manohar Parrikar does not want other political parties to know about his
political machinations before the general Assembly elections, what is it that
he is trying to hide and from whom? And at what cost?
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