Maha Guv asks DGP to give protection to families of Shiv Sena rebels

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked state Director General of Police (DGP) Rajnish Seth to provide adequate police protection to the families and homes of rebel MLAs, a police official said on Sunday.

As per the letter written by Koshyari, he had received a representation on June 25 from 38 MLAs of Shiv Sena, two members of the Prahar Janshakti Party and seven Independents.

'I have received a representation from the MLAs stating that the police security of their families has been illegally and unlawfully withdrawn,' it said.

A bulk of Shiv Sena MLAs are camping in Guwahati under the leadership of senior party minister Eknath Shinde demanding the exit of the Sena from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and raising other issues, a development that has threatened the survival of the state government.

Koshyari's letter stated that the MLAs had raised serious concerns about the safety of their homes and families in the context of the provocative and threatening statements being made by certain political leaders.

Already offices and homes of some of the MLAs have been vandalised with the police being a mute spectator.

'I, therefore, direct you (DGP) to provide adequate police protection to the MLAs, their families and homes on an immediate basis. I may be apprised of the action taken in this regard,' the Governor added.

Earlier on Sunday, the governor was discharged from a hospital in Mumbai after recovering from COVID-19, authorities said.

Notably, the Centre on Sunday extended Y-plus security cover of Central Reserve Police Force commandos to at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, officials said.

Those who were provided with the security cover include Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakas Surve and 10 others.

Their families living in Maharashtra too will be secured as the security blanket entails house protection teams, they had said.

Shiv Sena cadres have been staging protests in various parts of the state since Saturday in view of the rebellion by Shinde and other MLAs.

On Saturday, they burnt effigies of some MLAs, tore banners in various cities, and also ransacked the office of an MLA in Pune.

A day earlier, rebel leader Eknath Shinde had accused the MVA government of withdrawing security from the residences of 38 party rebels, including himself, and their families, and dubbed the action as 'political vendetta', although Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil denied any such move.