Security arrangements for former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have been recalibrated following the change of power in West Bengal, with the new administration stressing strict adherence to official protocol. While additional deployments outside her residence have been withdrawn, officials confirmed that Banerjee will continue to receive the security cover mandated for a former Chief Minister.
Within 24 hours of the transition, visible changes were implemented at her residence at 188A Harish Chatterjee Street, where scissor barricades at the entrance of the lane were removed. A notification issued by Lalbazar further clarified that no extra security would be stationed outside the residence beyond the prescribed level. Sources said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari personally instructed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to ensure there are no lapses in her entitled protection.
Security cover for Abhishek Banerjee withdrawn
In a parallel move, the state government has withdrawn the extensive security cover previously provided to Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress (TMC) All-India General Secretary and MP from Diamond Harbour. An order issued on Monday announced that the large contingent of security personnel and the privilege of a special pilot car will no longer be available to him.
According to administrative sources, Banerjee will now receive only the standard level of security applicable to Members of Parliament, as per the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The State Police’s Special Security Unit (SSU), which had been deployed for his protection, is currently being withdrawn.
The scaling back of security began early last week, with additional personnel stationed at key addresses—including 9 Camac Street, 121 Kalighat Road, and 188A Harish Chatterjee Street—being removed. The once-prominent security presence at these locations started diminishing from Tuesday morning and was fully withdrawn by Wednesday.
‘No threat, no extra security’: CM’s directive
Reinforcing the administration’s stance, Chief Minister Adhikari convened a meeting on Monday with District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police across the state. During the meeting, he made it clear that security cover would now be strictly based on threat perception.
“Unless there is a specific and credible threat of an attack on a leader, unnecessary security cover will not be provided,” he stated. He further added that “the days of squandering public funds merely to flaunt power or status are over.”
Major administrative shift after change of power
Officials describe the move as one of the most significant early decisions of the new government. The contrasting approach—maintaining protocol-based security for Mamata Banerjee while withdrawing additional privileges from Abhishek Banerjee—highlights a broader shift toward administrative austerity and rule-based governance in the state.
The developments come even as the effects of a wider bureaucratic reshuffle are still unfolding, marking a decisive start to the new administration’s tenure.
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