SHILLONG, June 20: In a flagrant display of hypocrisy, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Monday espoused the VIP culture and vouched for use of tinted glasses by politicians on their vehicles to ensure their safety.
Asked if it is not a violation of the Supreme Court order, he avoided a direct reply by saying using dark glasses is safe as people often travel at night.
“People may see that you are alone with the driver and you understand the situation. When they don’t see through, these criminals will say there are more armed people inside the vehicle. I think it’s the best that we have dark glasses in the vehicle,” the minister said.
He said the government has already categorised who all can use dark films on their vehicles.
According to reports, the recommendation for using tinted glass even for vehicles used by VIPs enjoying Z+ or Z category security has to come from the State Security Commission.
After it was reported that several cars with heavily-tinted windows and windscreens were moving freely on the roads of Shillong, the Traffic Police had warned of penalising the violators.
In 2012, the Supreme Court had banned the use of tinted glass, restricting visions beyond permissible limit as fixed under the Motor Vehicles Act, in vehicles.
The Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, says that the glasses of windscreen and rear windows of vehicles should have a visual light transmission of 70 per cent and for side windows it should be at least 50 per cent.
