The Hindu : TDP defends tight security for Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

TDP defends tight security for Naidu

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, JAN. 18. The TDP has defended the tight security cover for the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, and criticised the Congress for making it an issue.

The scale of security required for Mr. Naidu could well be imagined in the backdrop of the assassination bid on him by the People's War, the TDP spokesmen — C. Ramachandraiah and R. Chandrasekhar Reddy — and the MP, M. Jagannatham, told reporters here on Sunday.

Refuting the charge of the former Congress Chief Minister, N. Janardhan Reddy, that the security for Mr. Naidu was hyped, they said the security and intelligence agencies decided the scale of security for VIPs. Neither the party nor the State Government interfered in the matter.

They alleged that four houses adjacent to Mr. Janardhan Reddy's bungalow were vacated on security grounds when he was Chief Minister. The vacant houses were declared a security zone. It was only after Mr. Reddy took over as Chief Minister that the security for a person occupying such a high office was strengthened.

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