Amidst the impending Lok Sabha elections, the Central authorities have fortified the security measures for approximately 43 BJP dignitaries hailing from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, responding to the recent insurgent activities orchestrated by Naxalites.
This strategic decision follows the collective plea of nine leaders, spearheaded by Shaninivas Mudaliar, the BJP district president of Bijapur, who addressed their concerns to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In their communication, they highlighted being singled out post the government’s anti-Naxal operations and urgently requested ‘Z’ category security. The leaders expressed their vulnerability to continuous threats from Naxal forces, emphasizing the impediment it posed to their election campaigning without a security umbrella.
Consequently, the Central authorities have accorded ‘Y’ category security to Dhaninar Barse, the BJP president for Sukma district. Similar enhancements in security have been instituted for several other key figures, including district presidents, mandal presidents, and leaders associated with the party’s Yuva Morcha in the Bastar region. Notably, a few leaders have been allocated ‘X’ category security.
Additional security cover has been extended to various BJP figures, such as Korsa Sannu, the general secretary of Sukma district, Sanjay Shori, the president of Yuva Morcha in Sukma district, and Hungaram Markam, a special invitee member at the state level in Sukma. Leaders from Bijapur district, namely Vishwaraj Singh, vice presidents Mudaliar, Kamlesh Mandavi, and Luv Kumar Rayudu, along with Phoolchand Gagda, a state Yuva Morcha member, Ghasiram Nag, the president of Kisan Morcha in Bijapur district, Jagar Lakshmaiya, the district secretary of Bijapur, Sanjay Lukkad, the district treasurer of Bijapur, and Sudhir Pandey, an executive member at the state level in Jagdalpur, have also been incorporated into this enhanced security protocol.
Over the past year, more than nine BJP leaders have fallen victim to Naxalite assaults in Bastar. The severity of the situation was highlighted earlier this month when Naxalites claimed the lives of two BJP leaders. On March 1, Tirupati Katla, a prominent BJP figure, succumbed to a Naxalite attack in Toyna village while returning from a wedding. Subsequently, on March 6, Kailash Nag met a similar fate in an attack within the jurisdiction of Jangla police station.