Ranchi: Jharkhand Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore has returned his entire official security cover, expressing dissatisfaction with the police department after his request for an additional vehicle was reportedly turned down.
The Congress leader, who serves in the state government, handed back all 16 security personnel assigned to him along with the three government vehicles meant for their deployment. Following the move, he was seen attending public events in Ranchi without any security escort.
A few days earlier, Kishore had written to the Director General of Police (DGP), requesting one more vehicle to ensure the smooth movement of his security team. He pointed out that the existing vehicles were insufficient to accommodate all 16 personnel, forcing them to travel in overcrowded conditions that made the security arrangement impractical and ineffective.
According to sources, no action was taken on his request. Instead, the police headquarters reportedly sent a letter to his personal secretary seeking the withdrawal of one of the vehicles already allotted for his security.
Calling the situation “embarrassing” in his communication, the Finance Minister decided to return his entire security detail.
On Friday, Kishore attended a programme at Khelgaon Stadium and later visited the Project Bhawan Secretariat without any official security convoy or escort.
The minister maintained that using three large vehicles only to transport 16 security personnel was neither an efficient use of resources nor an effective security arrangement. He said security measures should be practical, functional and serve their intended purpose.
His decision is being viewed as a clear sign of his displeasure with the functioning of the police headquarters. However, neither the Jharkhand government nor the police department has issued an official statement on the matter.
With inputs from IANS