Press Trust Of India

Patna, Sept 7

Accusing the Bihar government of "ignoring" security of its Union ministers on election tour in the state, Congress today sought the intervention of Election Commission in the matter. "So far, Nitish Kumar government has not paid due attention to the security to be provided to the our union ministers on tour of the state," Bihar Congress spokesperson Prem Chandra Mishra told reporters. "We have informed the Election Commission about the problem and sought its intervention," he said. He alleged that even senior ministers like C P Joshi and Mukul Wasnik, who is also party's Bihar affairs in-charge, had not been provided the protection according to the status they enjoyed during their recent visits. Wasnik had to come without proper security to Patna from Samastipur after the rally addressed by AICC General secretary Rahul Gandhi on September four, Mishra claimed. "Joshi who was on Bihar tour yesterday too did not find adequate cover," he alleged and asserted that similar treatment was meted out to Union ministers Sachin Pilot and Jatin Prasada during their visits to the state recently. "Bihar being a state where 33 out of the 38 districts are Naxal-affected and also in the wake of recent killing of policemen by Maoists in Lakhisarai, immediate steps are required to make foolproof security arrangements for the central ministers visiting the state for campaigning," he said.