Actor-politician and chief of the nascent Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Vijay was accorded ‘Y’ scale security within Tamil Nadu. The Union Home Ministry announced this in a notification issued on February 13. Sources said this security was accorded after an internal security audit by the Intelligence Bureau.
As per the Y security coverage, there will be eight to 11 CRPF personnel with him handling his security. Depending on the threat perception, police and the government in India provide security to some high-risk individuals under six categories. Y security is not the lowest, but would still have at least two personnel with the individual at all times.
According to sources, the Y security cover would also come in handy while managing the crowd whenever Vijay makes a public appearance. They believe that the huge crowds that would throng any venue where Vijay would appear would be better managed by the presence of the security.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai questioned the state government for not having the foresight to provide the security detail.
“Central government has given CRPF security to Opposition leader EPS (Edappadi K Palaniswami), regardless of whether the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) is in alliance with the BJP or not,” Annamalai said.
According to Annamalai, the security cover was granted after several agencies flagged there was a threat to his life. “Likewise, the central government gave Y security to Vijay. The reason that Vijay is not able to meet the public is because of the heavy crowd .. . Why didn’t the state government give Vijay this security? When there is a security threat whenever huge crowds come together, why didn’t the state govt come forward and give him security? There is X Y Z security category in Tamil Nadu,” Annamalai asked.