The government recently approved the second highest security cover for businessman Mukesh Ambani. He will be guarded by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos and escorted by pilot and follow-on vehicles. This is probably the first time that a private person, who is said to have received terror threats, will be given security cover akin to top political leaders. Does this move make sense at a time when the common people are not safe? dna explores
Z category: High risk category in which 22 commandos are deployed. It entails security cover by the Delhi Police or the ITBP or CRPF personnel and one escort car.
Over 14,600 VIPs across the country are protected by 47,500 cops, which is appoximately 15,000 personnel more than actually sanctioned for their security
Nearly 3 cops for one VIP as against one cop for 761 common citizens
Punjab deploys maximum — more than 5,600 police personnel for VIP security followed by nearly 5,100 personnel by Delhi, and about 4,200 police personnel by Assam and nearly 3,700 by Andhra Pradesh
Layman fears because of lack of security
It is wrong to give security to someone as wealthy as Ambani. He can easily purchase the best security that money can buy and not seek the CRPF security, which the government is providing him. The common man today is scared because of the lack of security. This is a frustrating thing that when the common man needs security he doesn’t get it but when Ambani wants it he gets it. The politicians and bureaucrats, who work for the government need security but a businessman like Ambani does not.
One cannot get a battalion of well-trained personnel like the CRPF. If every big businessman demands CRPF security, then are we supposed to provide them all? If we do this, we will not have enough people for dealing with other important issues like terrorism and law and order. This sends a wrong message to the common man that only the rich matter in this country. There is no proof that the terror threats to Ambani are genuine.
Jaysinh Patil, business management professor
CRPF security is needed when threat is serious
If a businessman of Ambani’s stature is asking for security, then there must be a good reason behind it. He would not have asked for it otherwise. Nobody wants CRPF security unless one feels genuinely threatened. Ambani is bearing the cost of the security which is around Rs15 lakh. So there is no burden on the government. There is no merit in the fact that he is paying for the private security because the training and discipline which the CRPF personnel have, a private security person does not. In India, we do not have well-drilled private security that you need to guard someone like Ambani.
The government can only provide security. As far as the contention that common people today are struggling for security because of lack of manpower in the police force, there is a major need for the government to ramp up its manpower.
Ashish Deshpande, businessman
This will set a wrong precedent for the rich
It is senseless to give Ambani Z security by assigning a CRPF battalion. He must not get CRPF security. It makes no sense that on one hand, we are complaining about the lack of manpower for the common man’s security and on the other we are assigning a battalion to Ambani. It is immaterial that he is a businessman and has created jobs and has contributed handsomely to the tax coffers.
If the government is allowing him to have CRPF security, then all rich people will demand that they too need security. There are many rich people, who will say that they face threats and want to be to protected. This sets a wrong precedent. We have no way of knowing how genuine these threats are.
SM Mushrif, Former IGP
Using govt resource for a pvt person is incorrect
Giving Ambani Z security is not correct because the armed forces and police are already short of manpower. Somebody of his eminence can easily buy the best of private security.
Using a government resource for the protection of a private person does not make any sense. It is immaterial that Ambani has contributed to the country in terms of development, taxes and jobs because there are others who have also contributed equally.
It is misleading to say that he pays the cost of the 28 CRPF soldiers because the cost of the soldiers is not just about their salaries.It is fine to give him security for a short time till he is facing threats, but not after that.
Colonel (retired) Thomas Kuruvilla
Govt is indirectly ensuring stability
The government is right in sanctioning Z security cover to Ambani. Individuals, both influential or not, are legally entitled to pay for their security and receive protection once the threat has been analysed and confirmed. Reliance Industries Ltd is India’s flagship group. By providing security to its chairman, the government is also indirectly supporting the stability of the various businesses within the group thereby ensuring economic stability and employment.
Ambani is paying for the security, which also means that there are no additional financial liabilities on the government. Our human and financial resources are spent on the security of our politicians, who do not even have to pay for it. The increasing crime rate is deeply rooted in our social, economic and cultural factors and cannot be justified by the lack of security personnel.
Disha Shah, Director India, FrankfurtRheinMain
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