By IANS,
Kolkata/Kharagpur: New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, one of the most high-security political leaders in the country, Tuesday took a taxi ride in the city sans any security cover. “Mazaa aa gya (It was fun),” he said later.
Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister enjoying Z plus security category, was scheduled to go to Kharagpur to attend an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) programme, but had to cancel his plan after his helicopter could not take off from the airport here due to bad weather.
As per the plan, Abdullah was slated to take a helicopter directly to Kharagpur from the airport, attend the launch at the P.K. Sinha Centre for Bio-Energy and take the same route back to Delhi without stepping into the city.
A highly placed state government official said due to this schedule, no arrangement for security or pilot car was made outside the airport for the minister, and the sudden change in his plan took the administration unawares.
Abdullah, who was with his private secretary and a deputy director of the IIT at the airport, decided to drive down to the institute’s campus at Salt Lake on the eastern fringes of the city to address the launch programme via video conferencing after the helicopter could not take off despite three attempts.
“I was desperate to be among you. But I couldn’t. I am sorry for that. The helicopter pilot tried to take off a number of times, but couldn’t because of the weather. Probably the pilot had the Andhra Pradesh incident (death of the state’s then chief minister Rajsekhar Reddy in a chopper crash) in mind,” Abdullah told the IIT gathering via video conference.
Abdullah’s secretary sent a message to the state government and the IIT authorities asking for vehicle and security escort. But as time ticked by, the minister became impatient and hopped into a taxi along with the two.
They reached the Salt Lake campus in time for Abdullah to address the launch function.
The minister later said he greatly enjoyed the ride.
Asked about what he felt at the lack of security cover provided to him, Abdullah pointed to the sky, saying: “My security (comes from there)”.
As news of Abdullah’s taxi ride reached the top echeleons of the state government, there was a flutter. And securitymen were rushed to IIT’s Salt Lake campus, from where the minister was provided security.
One of those who accompanied Abdullah in the taxi said the leader relished every minute of the journey. “He passed by Jyoti Basu’s house, and other landmarks of Salt Lake. He was constantly asking questions about the place.”
Later, Abdullah paid a visit to Basu at the private hospital where he is now being treated for a pneumonia attack.
State Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen has sought a report from the police about the incident.