Bengal BJP govt cuts security of 10+ Trinamool leaders, ex-ministers
Synopsis
Days into power, West Bengal's new BJP government has stripped elaborate security cover from more than 10 Trinamool Congress leaders and former ministers — removing guardrails, scaling back personnel, and signalling a clean break from what officials allege was excessive protection granted during the TMC era. The sweep includes sitting MPs, a former DGP-rank officer, and leaders who lost their seats.
Key Takeaways
The West Bengal BJP government has reduced security cover for more than 10 TMC leaders and former ministers as of 17 May .
Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Kumar , MLA Kunal Ghosh , and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee are among those affected; guardrails outside their homes have been removed.
Chandrima Bhattacharya , Aroop Biswas , and Subrata Bakshi are also reportedly on the reduction list.
The move follows an earlier curtailment of security for TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee , whose residence on Harish Chatterjee Street had been described as a security fortress.
Security of Director of Security Piyush Pandey , former Acting DGP, has also been reviewed and reportedly reduced.
Officials say protection levels are now being aligned with each individual's current designation — MP, MLA, or private citizen.
The West Bengal government, now led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has significantly curtailed the security cover of more than 10 Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and former ministers, with guardrails removed from their residences as of Sunday, 17 May. The move follows an earlier decision to reduce the security of TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, and signals a systematic review of protection arrangements inherited from the previous government.
Who Has Been Affected
Among those whose security has been reduced are Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Kumar, senior party leader Sovandeb Chattopadhyay — currently the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly — and MLA Kunal Ghosh. Additionally, the names of senior TMC figures Chandrima Bhattacharya, Aroop Biswas, and Subrata Bakshi are reportedly on the list of those facing reduced protection. The guardrails stationed outside their residences have also been removed, according to reports.
The Abhishek Banerjee Precedent
The latest round of reductions comes days after the newly formed BJP government curtailed the security of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. During the TMC government's tenure, Banerjee had received an elaborate state-funded security arrangement at his residence on Harish Chatterjee Street, which officials described as a near-fortress setup. Critics had long questioned the scale of protection afforded to him, given that he held no ministerial post. Officials confirmed he will now receive security commensurate with his status as a Member of Parliament.
Rationale Cited by Officials
Government officials explained the reductions on the basis of current designations. Rajeev Kumar and Kalyan Banerjee — the latter also a TMC MP — will receive protection as per MP entitlements. Kunal Ghosh, as an MLA, will receive legislator-level security. Aroop Biswas and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay are no longer ministers; additionally, Biswas lost his seat in the recent election, making him ineligible for the enhanced cover he previously held. It is alleged, according to officials, that several leaders received security significantly in excess of what their positions warranted during the TMC era.
Security Chief Also Under Review
The security arrangements for Director of Security Piyush Pandey, who previously served as Acting Director General of Police (DGP), have also been reviewed and reportedly reduced, according to government officials.
What This Signals
This is the first major administrative rollback of TMC-era security arrangements since the BJP assumed power in West Bengal. Analysts note that such reviews are common when governments change, but the breadth and speed of the current exercise — covering over a dozen individuals within days — points to a deliberate political signal. How the opposition responds, and whether any of the affected leaders challenge the reductions, will be closely watched in the coming days.
Point of View
And by how much — deserves an independent audit, not just a press statement from officials.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the West Bengal government reduced security for Trinamool Congress leaders?
The BJP government in West Bengal has stated that security cover is being realigned to match each individual's current designation — MPs receive MP-level protection, MLAs receive legislator-level cover, and former ministers who no longer hold office or lost elections have had enhanced security removed. Officials have also alleged that several leaders received disproportionate protection during the TMC government's tenure.
Who are the Trinamool leaders whose security has been cut?
Those affected include Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Kumar, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, MLA Kunal Ghosh, and senior leaders Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Aroop Biswas, and Subrata Bakshi. Director of Security Piyush Pandey, formerly the Acting DGP, has also had his security reviewed and reduced.
What happened to Abhishek Banerjee's security cover?
Abhishek Banerjee's elaborate state-funded security, which had turned his Harish Chatterjee Street residence into what officials described as a fortress, was curtailed shortly after the BJP formed the government. He will now receive security as provided to a Member of Parliament.
Is it normal for a new government to review security arrangements of opposition leaders?
Security reviews after a change of government are not uncommon in India, as protection levels are typically linked to threat assessments and official designations. However, the breadth of this exercise — covering over 10 individuals within days of the BJP assuming power — is being closely watched for political motivations alongside administrative rationale.
What happens next for the affected TMC leaders?
The affected leaders will receive protection commensurate with their current roles — MPs and MLAs will retain designation-level security, while those who are no longer ministers or elected representatives will have enhanced cover withdrawn. Whether any of them will formally contest the reductions remains to be seen.
