Security cover not withdrawn from Sharad Pawar's Delhi residence, clarifies police

After the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) accused the Centre of withdrawing security cover from party supremo Sharad Pawar's Delhi residence, police on Saturday dismissed the claims saying that adequate personnel are deployed at his address.

Delhi Police: No security has been withdrawn from the residence of NCP Chief Sharad Pawar; adequate Delhi Police personnel as per rule are deployed at his residence. pic.twitter.com/PmylqdDt2p

— ANI (@ANI) January 25, 2020

 However, ANI reported that security has been reduced from Pawar's house, further stating that security guards from Rajasthan were guarding his house in Delhi. 

The NCP leadership on Friday accused Narendra Modi-led central government of withdrawing security cover from  Sharad Pawar's New Delhi residence.

The security personnel deployed at Pawar's 6, Janpath residence hasn't appeared for duty for the last four days, NCP leaders alleged.

Party's national spokesperson, Nawab Malik said that Pawar had 'Y'category security cover at his Delhi residence but security personnel stopped reporting there since January 20. 

Maharastra minister Jayant Patil said that the Bharatiya Janata Party was taking "revenge" for its failure to form the government in Maharashtra."The BJP is now taking revenge? This is dangerous in a democracy," the NCP leader said.

Moreover, Jitendra Awad, Housing minister of Maharashtra, likened Sharad Pawar to "Sahyadri mountains" and said that he will not be cowed down by the Centre's "intimidating tactics."  
  
The Shiv Sena, the party in alliance with NCP in the Maharashtra government, also hit out at the centre. Calling the Centre's move "shocking", Sena leader Sanjay Raut said that Sharad Pawar is a "senior leader" who "faces threats" and was "attacked in the past."

"This is shocking? The Prime Minister is aware that Sharad Pawar is a senior leader who faces threats and was attacked in the past. We have witnessed it," Raut said.

Last month, the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena coalition formed the government in Maharashtra. On November 23, NCP leader Ajit Pawar had allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister under then BJP Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, the two-man government could last just 80 hours as Pawar resigned. 

BJP and Shiv Sena fought the elections together and had a comfortable majority to form the government but the two parties didn't reach any consensus on the '50-50 formula' that led to the break-up of ties.