The Gandhi family, Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are no longer entitled to Special Protection Group, the highest security cover in the country. They will now come under CRPF’s ‘Z+’ security. The decision was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs after multiple security agencies assessed that there was ‘no direct threat perception’ to the trio.
Although the Gandhis have not been officially informed of the decision, it is learnt that CRPF personnel have already been posted at 10 Janpath.
This makes Prime Minister the only leader to get the elite SPG cover. The practice of SPG cover for the Prime Minister of the country began after Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own security guards in 1984.
This also means that the Gandhi family will be without SPG cover for the first time since 1991. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs has made it clear that this does not mean that their security will be compromised.
Earlier, SPG cover was withdrawn for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Other politicians whose security was downgraded include Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD), Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP), Vikram Majithia (SAD), Udit Raj (Congress), Pratap Singh Bajwa (Congress), Indresh Kumar (RSS) and Sangeet Som (BJP).
