Ahmedabad: Gujarat Parivartan Party General Secretary Gordhan Zadafia said here yesterday that Chief Minister Narendra Modi would be responsible if anything untoward happened to him or his family after the state government allegedly downgraded his security.
"There is a specific threat perception on my life as I was the Minister of State for Home in 2002. I have been provided 'Z' category security. But, now I have been unofficially informed that the state government has downgraded my security from 'Z' to 'Y' category," Zadafia, who fell out with Modi and formed Gujarat Parivartan Party along with former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel before 2012 Gujarat assembly elections, told reporters.
"There is no official communication from the state government in this regard. They have reduced guards and also taken away an escort vehicle," Zadafia said, adding that after he protested, the vehicle was restored.
"I have written a letter to the Gujarat chief minister and the Governor in this regard and demanded 'Z' category security," he said.
"As you are well aware, since cases relating to the riots 2002 are on in various courts of law, the threat perception to your life and me are equal since I had held the position of Gujarat Home Minister at that time," Zadafia's letter to Modi said.
"In the case of murder of former Gujarat Revenue Minister Haren Pandya, we have seen as he did not have security which he was supposed to have and ended up being a soft target due to the indifference of the government. His real murders are yet to be traced," he said.
"The same is the case with me. Due to cases of 2002 riots and differences with Gujarat government on major issues, I am the softest target if my security is downgraded," Zadafia said.
"Under such circumstances, if anything happens to me or my family members, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and those officers who took this decision will be responsible," he said.
