Gujarat HC is hearing a petition that has sought directions to the government to frame specific rules to ease the hassles people face during movement of VVIPs.
Gujarat high court may come to the rescue of the common man who often faces punishing delay on the road - and sometimes life-threatening moments - because of the large convoy of the 'Common Man' - CM. The high court is hearing a petition that has sought directions to the government to frame specific rules to ease the hassles people face during movement of VVIPs, especially chief minister Narendra Modi.
A bench of acting chief justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and justice JB Pardiwala on Thursday asked the state government to come out with rules about the security cover for the convoy of VVIPs, especially chief minister Modi who is provided with Z plus security.
The bench also asked the government to come out with specific details about how long the police can restrict the traffic on public road due to VVIP movements. Further hearing of the case is slated on April 12.
The issue came up before the HC when Jignesh Goswami, a resident of Bhulabhai Park in Maninagar, moved a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking specific rules for regularisation of traffic during movement of VVIPs with Z category security cover.
He cited that people have to face a lot of hardships because of the blockage of traffic by policemen on security duty.
In the PIL, Goswami also mentioned incidents where two persons died allegedly when the '108' ambulances carrying them from SG highway got stuck up in traffic as the road had been blocked to give passage to chief minister Modi who was travelling to reach a private function. That was on January 9.
Goswami's advocate KG Pandit also narrated an incident of February 8, when people had to wait for as long as six hours on the road in Ahmedabad district because of Modi's Sadbhavna fast at Bavla.
The PIL mentioned that huge expenditure is incurred on the Z category security cover provided to Modi. Pandit said the CM moves around with 32 black cat commandos in a convoy of eight to nine high-end vehicles, an ambulance and a jammer van.
“'Due to blockage of traffic for long hours, people have to suffer many problems. Sometimes, it proves fatal for critically ill patients,” he said.
During the hearing, the state government informed the court that the dignitary who has the highest threat perception from terrorists is provided with Z category security cover.
However, there is no restriction for ambulances carrying patients and vehicles of emergency services like fire brigade to pass through during security arrangement for VVIPs.
Government pleader PK Jani said, “The bench wanted to know the rules of traffic restrictions only. The court was not inclined to go deep into the security aspect of the VVIPs as it is related to the security agencies and police. The court ultimately asked how long the traffic could be restricted by the police while providing security to VVIPs.”
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