Sushma meets PC to discuss Varun's security

NEW DELHI: BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, met Union home minister P Chidambaram here on Thursday in a bid to resolve the logjam over the security cover provided to Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi, but the issue remained deadlocked.

Mr Chidambaram, who had invited Ms Swaraj to discuss the matter, is said to have given a detailed explanation of the security provided to Varun Gandhi, arguing that it had been done after undertaking a ���proper review��� of the threat perception.

Ms Swaraj, however, was not satisfied with the home minister���s response. ���I was, in fact, disappointed. I left his office after requesting him to reconsider the security arrangement made for Varun Gandhi,��� she told newspersons later in the day.

While the former union minister refused to divulge the contents of their discussion, it���s learnt that Mr Chidambaram justified the security bandobust made out for the Pilibhit BJP MP. According to the Union home ministry, though Varun Gandhi has ���Y��� category security on paper, in Delhi, he effectively enjoys ���Z��� category protection.

This includes three personal security officers, one pilot car, one escort car and 10 security guards at his residence. He has had this security cover since his last security upgrade, undertaken after the Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP leader argued that the security arrangement was inadequate in view of the enhanced threat to Varun Gandhi���s life, and sought an upgrade. Ms Swaraj had on Tuesday raised the issue during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, urging Speaker Meira Kumar to direct Mr Chidambaram to upgrade the Pilibhit BJP MP���s security.

The serious threat to his life had been underscored by the arrest of six sharpshooters belonging to the Chhota Shakeel gang, who were in the Capital to eliminate Varun Gandhi���s lawyer, by the Delhi Police.

Their target, according to Ms Swaraj, was not just the lawyer, but also Varun Gandhi himself. She, therefore, urged the Centre to upgrade his security cover in view of the enhanced threat perception to his life.