Kolkata: CM Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday told a Trinamool delegation that personal security officers (PSOs) assigned to former CM Mamata Banerjee would be decided by the security establishment and not on the basis of individual preference, according to sources.The issue arose after two PSOs who had been attached to Banerjee for nearly two decades were withdrawn and replaced with three new personnel. Banerjee has not accepted the new PSOs. Trinamool netas have criticised the move, arguing that the changes were made without consultation.A five-member Trinamool delegation, including party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, raised the matter during a meeting with Adhikari and urged a review of the decision. Sources said the CM maintained that Banerjee’s security cover remained unchanged and that she continued to enjoy Z+ protection with the same sanctioned strength.MP Kalyan Banerjee argued it was a matter of confidence. “It is very unfortunate that the PSO of Mamata Banerjee, who was there for 20 years, has been taken away. I have been told that new PSOs were provided, whom she did not accept. This is purely autocracy. A PSO is a matter of confidence; if I don’t have confidence in a PSO, I have the right to say so. This is a very vindictive attitude,” he said.According to sources present at the meeting, Adhikari said security personnel attached to constitutional functionaries, including the Prime Minister, Union home minister and chief ministers, are routinely rotated.The CM told the delegation that the allegations of withdrawal or curtailment of the former CM’s security were baseless.Sources said five PSOs had been assigned to Banerjee since her tenure as Union railway minister. Two of them, Swarup Goswami and Kusum Dwivedi, were among those recently withdrawn.
