The Special Protection Group security for Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has been removed by the Central government.
The decision was taken after the threat perception assessment by several security agencies. From now on, they will be provided with Z-plus security by the Central Reserve Police Force. SPG is a specialised protection provided only to VVIPs like the Prime Minister, former prime ministers and their immediate families. But this is subject to routine review when such protection may be withdrawn based on the level of threat. In August this year, former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s SPG security was withdrawn.
The SPG protection was constituted in 1985 after the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi by her bodyguards in 1984.
According to some reports, the Centre found in recent reviews that the Gandhi family had often not availed of SPG vehicle and officials. Also, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi had on some occasions informed the SPG personnel of their movement at short notice. Though it is mandatory for SPG officials to accompany their protectees even on personal visits, there were allegations that the Centre was trying to track their movements. All this has apparently led the withdrawal of the specialised protection, it was said in the reports.
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