BENGALURU: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who had advocated free entry any time of the day for the general public into the “temple of democracy”, Vidhana Soudha, before the recent Assembly election, is set to do just the opposite.The entire area covering Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, Raj Bhavan, Legislators’ Home, Udyoga Soudha (KPSC Building) and the Multi-Storeyed Building will soon be declared as “administration district” and categorised as high security zone, bringing stringent regulations for entry into the area.
Deputy CM G Parameshwara, who holds the Home portfolio, has already held a series of meetings with police top brass in this regard following an advisory from security experts. Kumaraswamy’s recent instruction to regulate the entry of media representatives to Vidhana Soudha is said to have come in the backdrop of the preparations of a larger security plan for the power centre of the state.The plans are being drawn to put an end to free entry of people, political hangers-on and middlemen who “roam around freely in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha”. Kumaraswamy had recently expressed his displeasure about “these middlemen” and said he would like to banish them from Vidhana Soudha.
According to sources in the Home Department, the new security plan being drafted envisages to have a separate unit in state police with separate uniform for security duty in the “administrative district”. They will receive specialised training on their duty, etiquette and security aspects. They will also be equipped with modern weapons and security gadgets. Legislators, secretariat staff, media representatives, VIPs and the general public will be given separate passes for entry into the zone. A dedicated premise with all amenities will be provided for the media to discharge their duty to put an end to their “free run” in Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha, sources said.
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Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said, “There is no plan to restrict the entry of media representatives into Vidhana Soudha. Unwanted people are seen roaming around the corridors of Vidhana Soudha. They hamper the work in the secretariat. Police top brass have also advised the need to bar their entry for security reasons. We are holding deliberations in this backdrop.”