The Union Home Ministry has issued fresh guidelines for providing security to Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in the light of serial bomb blasts in Patna recently.
The same guidelines would be implemented during Modi’s public meeting at the Palace Grounds in Bangalore on November 17. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday held a meeting of senior police officers and directed them to provide foolproof security to Modi during his visit to Bangalore.
Sources told Express that the CM was briefed about the security arrangements planned for the rally. “The meeting was formal and nothing was discussed about providing security to Modi on par with the Prime Minister,” sources maintained.
The sources said the police have decided not to give permission to set up makeshift kitchens at the Palace Grounds to prepare food for thousands of party workers who were expected to attend the rally from across the state. “We are not ready to take chances if a stampede happens to collect food. Let the organisers distribute packed food to all those who participate in the rally. Cooking food in the close vicinity of the venue is always dangerous. In view of this, we will tell them only to serve packed food,” sources added. “There is no question of compromising with the security and the VVIPs will be given full protection,” sources said. The Chief Minister was worried about a few incidents of communal clashes in the state and asked officials to take preventive steps to avoid such incidents in the future. Home Minister K J George and all senior officers of the department attended the meeting.