Arvind Kejriwal under security cover without his knowledge: Sushilkumar Shinde

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday said a security cover is being provided to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal without his knowledge and despite his repeated rejection for it.

This was being done as it was the "duty" of the government and the Home Ministry to take care of the security requirements and protection of VVIPs and others based on threat perception, he said.

"It is the duty of any state government and the Centre to protect such VVIPs. When he (Kejriwal) was elected as the Chief Minister he was immediately provided with security. We are now giving him security cover without his knowledge," the Home Minister told reporters here during his monthly press conference.

Shinde said the security agencies have thrice asked Kejriwal to take security and he has refused twice.

He said the task of ensuring security to Kejriwal is being carried out by the Delhi Police even as the Police Commissioner of Delhi has talked to the SP of Ghaziabad to take care of security requirements in his area as the CM lives there and also the office of Aam Admi Party is located in the neighbouring district.

"Recently there was an attack on AAP office in Ghaziabad.... We have asked the local police that if not directly they can post their men in the vicinity of these locations," Shinde said.

The Home Minister agreed with the view that the common man has to face difficulty when traffic is held up for VIP movements but he said he has asked the police to make sure that regular movement is resumed as soon as possible.