Rajeev Shukla asks Centre to reconsider Gandhis' SPG cover witdhrawal

After it was anunced on Friday that Gandhi family might lose SPG security as a part of security rejig, former IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla asked Government to reconsider ir decision. Special Protection Group (SPG) cover will be given only to serving Prime Minister and President. Till w, apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi,  SPG cover was given to Sonia Gandhi and her children Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Following removal of SPG cover, Gandhi family will w be given Z+ security. 

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Rajeev Shukla expresses displeasure

Rajeev Shukla on Friday took to Twitter to express his displeasure and concern over removal of SPG cover given to Gandhi family. Shukla in his tweet urged government to reconsider its decision and also said that former Prime Minister Rajeev Gandhi was assassinated after his SPG cover was withdrawn.

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Earlier, senior Congress leer Ahmed Patel also criticised centre and alleged that BJP has descended to "ultimate personal vendetta" mechanism.

What is SPG cover?

SPG has over 3,000 personnel. Based on threat perception, special group covers Prime Ministers as well as former Prime Ministers and ir families.  SPG was set up in 1985 specifically for security of Prime Ministers after assassination of Indira Gandhi by her security guards a year before. After assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, SPG Act was amended to provide security to former PMs and ir families for 10 years. In 2003, Vajpayee government amended law again to bring down automatic protection for 10 years to one year - or more depending on level of threat as decided by Centre. Earlier, daughter of Manmohan Singh, as well as Atal Bihari Vajpayee's foster daughter, h given up SPG cover provided to m. While former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee h SPG cover till he passed away in 2018, former Prime Ministers HD Deve Gowda's and VP Singh's security was revoked.

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