Siddu slams Centre for withdrawing SPG cover to Gandhi family

Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah slammed the Centre for stripping off the Special Protection Group (SPG) cover to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Taking to twitter he wrote, “Two of Gandhi family members were assassinated in the attacks and the family continues to be the target of many non-state actors. SPG withdrawal is nothing but political motives turned into personal vendetta.”

The decision to remove the SPG cover of three Congress leaders was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), said sources. The government has now decided to accord them Z plus security. CRPF personnel will now guard the members of the Gandhi family.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the only person who will be under SPG protection.

After the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the SPG Act was amended to provide security to former Prime Ministers and their immediate families for a period of 10 years from the date on which the former Prime Minister ceased to hold the office.