Once ‘mentor’ now stranger: How Nitish withdraws ailing George’s security cover in his last days

PATNA: What the ailing George Fenandes only wished from his disciple at this stage was at least “proper respect” but what has come his way right now is just the opposite.

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar in a sudden move has withdrawn “Z” category security cover to his seriously ailing “mentor” who helped Kumar at a time while he was battling hard for political space in his home state.

He not only joined Kumar launch a battle against once powerful Lalu Prasad but also helped him get portfolios of his choice in the previous AB Vajapyee-led NDA government where he served as the convener of the NDA.

As per the notification issued by the Home Department, Fernandes has been taken out of list of VVIPs provided security net.

The government withdrew his security acting on the recommendations of State Security Committee.

Fernandes who has been former president of the JD-U once shared very close relations with Kumar before falling from grace and finally denied a LS ticket.

The relationship between the two soured after Fernandes opposed the CM candidature of Nitish Kumar during the 2005 Bihar assembly elections. Kumar perhaps never forgot this act of Fernandes.

This reflected in a series of developments which took place later: He was not only driven out of Nalanda LS constituency and unceremoniously removed as the JD-U president but was also denied a LS ticket by the JD-U during 2009 LS elections.

If that was not enough, his “Z” category security has been withdrawn now by the state government in its latest exercise to review security of VVIPs.

Everybody knows Fernandes who is now on his deathbed can’t visit Patna but the treatment he been meted out at this juncture has certainly not gone down well among his followers.