Shiv Sena on SPG removal: Must not play with someone’s life

Mumbai: Ahead of the floor test in the Assembly, the Shiv Sena Saturday raised concerns over removal of the Special Protection Group (SPG) cover of the Gandhi family. Indicating that the decision to remove the SPG cover was politically motivated, the Sena said that political differences should be kept aside in such matters and no one should play with people’s lives.

An editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana said that politicians should feel safe in their environment and that the Prime Minister should intervene in the matter. The party stressed that it would have taken the same position if it was someone other than the Gandhis.

The SPG cover of the Gandhis (Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi) was replaced with the Z-plus security of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) by the government.

“The Prime Minister, home minister and other ministers are not ready to leave their security and their bulletproof cars. This means the concern over removal of the Gandhis’ security is valid too,” the Sena editorial stated.

The home ministry had said that the threat to the Gandhi family had reduced and hence, the SPG cover had been withdrawn.

The editorial said that the big question was who in the home ministry felt that way. “The reason for giving SPG cover to the Gandhis was that Indira Gandhi was killed by her own security guard and Rajiv Gandhi was killed by militants,” it said.

Home minister Amit Shah, replying to the debate on the SPG (Amendment) Bill, Wednesday said that the BJP did not carry out actions with a hurtful approach and that it was the Congress which had taken many such decisions in the past. He said that the security cover had in fact been increased for the Gandhi family. “This (removal of the Gandhis’ security) is not the fact. The security of the Gandhi family has not been withdrawn but changed to 'Z-plus' with advance security liaison and ambulance that will be given across the country,” he asserted.