The central dispensation and J&K administration have their own means and system to assess the threat perception of VIPs and any decision regarding the security of the aforesaid personalities is taken after gauging every minute aspect. In this context, the central dispensation has scaled down the security cover of former Chief Ministers by removing jammers and ambulances from their security detail. Though during the political season when the elections will be on cards, the former chief ministers are likely to play a victim card over the issue but the matter of the fact is that every step taken in this regard is after proper consultation of the top hierarchy of security forces and the top brass of the government because no government will act against the interest of the state and its image as well. If by chance anything untoward happens, the responsibility of the same will lie on the government therefore there is no need to raise apprehensions over the issue as the government is well aware of its responsibility. From now onwards, former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad will continue to have the National Security Guard cover as both have been categorised as Z-plus protectees and Omar and Mehbooba will continue to have Z-plus cover in J&K but are likely to have reduced security outside the UT. This security set-up itself makes it clear that government and the concerned security agencies have taken cognizance of the threat perception of the aforesaid former chief ministers and then only things have been decided. Surely, with the changing times in J&K the security requirement has been changed and whatever the government has decided is in the best interest of the people of the UT and entire country. On the first week of January this year, the Centre has downgraded J&K’s Special Security Group (SSG), an elite protection force set up on the lines of Special Protection Group (SPG) guarding the country’s VVIPs, and withdrew the special security cover of all former CMs of J&K. The Centre has amended sections of the J&K Security Group Act-2000 and limited SSG protection to only the current CM and his family.