Parliament passes SPG Act amendment, Shah rejects 'political vendetta' as Cong walks out

 Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to amend Act governing elite-Special Protection Group (SPG) with Home Minister Amit Shah rejecting opposition's charge of political vendetta and asserting government was concerned about security of all 130 crore Indians and t just Gandhi family.

SPG (Amendment) Bill passed

Replying to a debate on SPG (Amendment) Bill, Shah said that BJP does t carry out any action with a vindictive approach and it was Congress that took many such decisions in past.

He said discussion happened when security cover reviews with respect to former prime ministers including PV Narasimha Rao, IK Gujral, Chandra Shekhar, HD Deve Gowda and recently Manmohan Singh were undertaken.

"Security cover must t be treated as a status symbol by individuals. SPG security cover is meant specifically for prime minister and must t be enjoyed by any or individual," he said.

READ | Amit Shah: 'SPG t A Status Symbol; t Focused On One Family'

Congress, which criticised amendment, walked out of Rajya Sabha saying it is dissatisfied with Home Minister's reply on amendment to SPG Act.

government, Shah said, takes decision of providing security cover on scientific threat analysis for a particular individual.

pass of amendments to SPG Act will pave way for only prime minister and his "immediate family residing with him at his official residence", as well as any former prime minister and members of his immediate family "residing with him at residence allotted to him for a period of five years, from date he ceases to hold office of Prime Minister" to be given SPG cover.

Shah said if anyone it was Narendra Modi who will be impacted by this amendment as cover will be withdrawn after five years of his ceasing to be Prime Minister.

READ | Amid SPG Debate, Flare-up Over Security Breach At Vadras' Residence: All That Happened

Security breach at residence of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

On security breach at residence of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said security was informed that her bror Rahul Gandhi would be visiting her in a black 'Tata Safari' SUV but instead of him, some Congress workers from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh came in a similar vehicle and so were allowed in house.

He said a high-level inquiry has been ordered into security breach and three personnel have been suspended.

He said three members of Gandhi family have been given Z-plus top-grade security cover with ambulance and are guarded by personnel who were part of SPG previously.

Replying to Left's charge of BJP acting with a political vendetta, he said 120 workers of BJP and RSS have been killed in Kerala.

READ | KC Venugopal Slams PM Modi And Shah On New SPG Act, Says Lives Of Leaders Are At Risk

READ | w, Shiv Sena Raises Concern Over Gandhis' SPG Security Withdrawal