The Home Ministry has expanded security detail of CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal violating the security standards for VIPs implemented by the ministry less than a year back.
Former prime ministers (PM) are given just 16 APF persons and two Nepal Police persons for security as per the standard but the ministry through a secretary-level decision has deployed 10 more Nepal Police persons led by a DSP for security of Dahal on direct instruction of Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand.
"We had written to the Nepal Police headquarters to add a vehicle in front of Dahal's on Minister Khand's instruction," Home Secretary Maheshwore Neupane told Setopati.
The standard requires the central security committee to decide about adding security persons for VIPs after evaluation of security threats but security detail of Dahal has been expanded without evaluation of security threats. "Dahal was complaining that security is not adequate and Minister Khand instructed to add a vehicle," Secretary Neupane defended the decision.
A committee for evaluation of security threats under the ministry evaluates security threats of VIPs every three months and submits the report to the central security committee.
Secretary Neupane added that the next central security committee will discuss the decision to expand Dahal's security detail.
The KP Sharma Oli government had cut the number of security persons deployed for Dahal's security to two Nepal Police persons and 16 APF personnel in February implementing the standard for security of VIPs.
A total of 47 APF personnel led by an inspector, and 27 Nepal Police personnel led by a DSP were deployed for security of Dahal before that. But the government implemented the standard and took back the security persons at a time when Oli and Dahal were co-chairmen of CPN and the internal dispute in the ruling party had reached a boiling point.
Dahal had complained that the Oli government vengefully cut his security detail.
Former Maoist combatants were then deployed in security of Dahal along with those provided by the government.
