Rajya Sabha passes bill to amend SPG Act, Congress stages walkout

Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Pic /PTI

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

Replying to a debate on the SPG (Amendment) Bill, Shah said that the BJP does not carry out any action with a vindictive approach and it was the Congress that took many such decisions in the past.

He said no 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 not be treated as a status symbol by individuals. The SPG security cover is meant specifically for the prime minister and must not be enjoyed by any other individual," he said. The Congress, walked out of Rajya Sabha saying it is dissatisfied with the Home Minister's reply on the amendment to the SPG Act.

The passage of the amendments to the SPG Act will pave the way for only the Prime Minister and his 'immediate family residing with him at his official residence', as well as any former PM and his immediate family 'residing with him at the residence allotted to him for a period of five years, from the date he ceases to hold the office of Prime Minister' to be given SPG cover. Shah said if anyone it was Modi who will be impacted by this amendment as cover will be withdrawn after five years of his ceasing to be the Prime Minister.

Probe ordered for security breach: HM

Shah said a high-level inquiry has been ordered into the security breach at Priyanka's residence and 3 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.

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