Vindictive Approach Not BJP's Culture But Of Congress, Says Amit Shah On SPG Row

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday informed the Lok Sabha that security of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka has not been withdrawn but only changed to ‘Z-plus’ with ambulance. Speaking during the debate on the SPG (Amendment) Bill, Shah asserted that vindictive approach is not the culture of the BJP but the Congress.

"Impression is being created that the SPG Act is amended to withdrew security from the Gandhi family. Security of the Gandhi family has not been withdrawn but changed to 'Z-plus' with advance security liaison and ambulance that will be given across the country," he said.

The home minister said when the SPG security cover was withdrawn from former prime ministers Chandra Shekhar, IK Gujral and Manmohan Singh, no one uttered a word but when the same happened with Gandhi family, everybody is raising their voices.

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Shah said that the Gandhi family had violated the SPG guidlines several times and went to foreign trips without informing the security agency. "Gandhi family members have been on several trips without informing. Instances like this have happened about 600 times.What secrets were hidden? Look at Rajnath ji, for many years security personnel even dropped him till the toilet yet he never said anything," he said.

The SPG amendment bill, which cleared the Lok Sabha today, was brought days after the government decided to withdraw the SPG security of the Gandhi family and replaced it with the 'Z-plus' security cover by the CRPF.