A week after the Union government removed the Special Protection Group (SPG) cover of Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and her children, Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the uproar over the issue continued in Parliament.
The SPG cover, India’s highest protection, is an elite force that protects prime ministers and their immediate families. The Gandhi family was given the security cover after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991. With the withdrawal SPG cover, Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi have been provided with Z-plus security by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
According to reports, the issue was raised in Lok Sabha amidst slogans such as ‘please stop revenge politics’ and ‘end dictatorship’ by Congress members.
Stating that the family faces threat to life and that their security cover should not have been removed, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury added that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are not “normal protectees”.
“It was Atal ji (former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee) who provided SPG cover to the Gandhi family. The National Democratic Alliance came to power twice between 1991 and 2019, but their security cover was never removed,” he said, raising the issue in Zero Hour.
The party's notice of adjournment motion on the matter was rejected by Speaker Om Birla, after which it was raised in Zero Hour. However, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, stated that since Adhir Ranjan had not submitted a notice in this regard, he cannot raise the issue in Zero Hour. Adhir Ranjan had raised the issue on Monday as well.
On Tuesday, the Congress MPs walked out of Lok Sabha along with DMK on the same issue.
Congress MP Anand Sharma had also raised the issue in Rajya Sabha, demanding the restoration of the SPG cover to Sonia Gandhi and her family.
He pointed out that since Sonia Gandhi is the daughter-in-law of former PM Indira Gandhi and wife of former PM Rajiv Gandhi — both of whom were assassinated, she and her family were vulnerable to threats.
"When UPA (United Progressive Alliance) was in office, considering this aspect (safety), no security cover of former prime ministers, including that of Atal Bihari ji, was not disturbed for 10 years,” he said, cautioning that he was not making a political point.
“For all other protectees, their cover was neither diluted nor withdrawn. We would urge the government that these issues of personal safety, security and life of our leaders have to be beyond partisan political consideration; these raise above that. A review and restore (of safety cover) would be of national interest; otherwise the interest would be questioned today, tomorrow and in future.” he added.
Recently former PM Manmohan Singh’s security was also downgraded from SPG to Z plus by the CRPF. The SPG cover was initially provided security to all prime ministers, including former PMs. However, later, the rules were amended to provide SPG cover to the families of former PMs as well.
Currently, PM Modi is now the only person in the country who is protected by SPG. The decision to withdraw the SPG cover reportedly came after a security review by the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Home Affairs, using inputs from various intelligence agencies.
The government received a lot of flak from the Congress, with some workers even protesting outside Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence. The Congress even cited the Justice JS Verma Commission report, which stated that Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated due to security lapses.
With Congress set to continue its protest till November 25, the Indian Youth Congress on Wednesday called for a march to Parliament, to protest against the government's decision to remove SPG cover for the Gandhi families.
The Youth Congress in other parts of the state have also expressed their protest against the decision.
మా డిమాండ్లో మేము ఐక్యంగా నిలుస్తాము - గాంధీ కుటుంబానికి ఎస్.పి.సి కవర్ను పున in స్థాపించండి & మరియు డాక్టర్ మన్మోహన్ సింగ్#PoliticsBehindSPG pic.twitter.com/vXrxO6ck02
— IYC TelanganaRG is RightChowkidar Chor Hai (@IYCTelangana) November 20, 2019
We stand united in our demand – Reinstate SPC Cover for the Gandhi Family & and Dr. Manmohan Singh#PoliticsBehindSPG pic.twitter.com/yiIISDWfW3
— Tamil Nadu Youth Congress (@TN_PYC) November 20, 2019
The Congress leadership's removal of the SPG security cover is a government-driven decision driven by political malfeasance. Today the Youth Congress will stage a massive protest against it.
— Gujarat Youth Congress (@IYCGujarat) November 20, 2019
#PoliticsBehindSPG
Denial of SPG Cover is an insult to the sacrifices of every Congressman who sacrificed their lives for the nation#PoliticsBehindSPG
— Jharkhand Youth Congress (@IYCJharkhand) November 20, 2019
Let it be remembered that former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s SPG Cover was never touched.
— HP Youth Congress (@IYCHimachal) November 20, 2019
But @BJP4India are alien to such cultured behavior
#PoliticsBehindSPG pic.twitter.com/7jkaYYiafx
The nation remembers the sacrifices of Smt Indira Gandhi ji & Rajiv Gandhi ji
— Odisha Youth Congress (@IYCOdisha) November 20, 2019
The nation will not forgive if another member of the Gandhi Family are hurt because of BJP’s petty politics.#PoliticsBehindSPG pic.twitter.com/vcFxfq3S3k
If we stay mum, BJP’s Vendetta Politics will tomorrow even turn against the common man.
— Bihar Youth Congress (@IYCBihar) November 20, 2019
I stand with the Gandhi Family and demand reinstating their SPG Cover#PoliticsBehindSPG