Sonia Gandhi Thanks SPG Services After Her Security Cover Removed

Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday praised the Special Protection Group (SPG) for ‘high professionalism’ and thanked them for providing security to her family members for the past 28 years. “On behalf of the whole family would like to express our deep appreciation and gratitude to the SPG for looking after our security and wellbeing with such dedication, discretion, and personal care,” Sonia Gandhi said in a statement.

“Ever since our security was put in the hands of the SPG, my family and I have felt a great sense of reassurance and confidence that we are in the best possible hands. Every day, for the last 28 years, we have experienced the unfailing high professionalism, dedication to duty and sincerity with which the SPG protect us. The SPG is an outstanding force and its members imbued with courage and patriotism in every task they are given,” the statement reads.

Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday hit out at the government withdrawing the SPG cover of Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying the step is an "outrageous and mad decision".

The government has withdrawn the Special Protection Group (SPG) cover of the Gandhis, and they will now be given Z-plus security by the CRPF, officials said on Friday.

Former home minister Chidambaram, in a tweet posted by his family on his behalf, said: "The Government's decision to withdraw SPG protection for the Gandhis is an outrageous and mad decision. It is said 'Those who the gods wish to destroy, they first make them mad'."

Chidambaram is in jail for alleged corruption in the INX Media case.

The Congress has slammed the government for removing security cover of the family and alleged that it was endangering the lives of Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka by withdrawing their SPG cover and the decision showed the BJP leadership was "blinded by personal hatred and political vendetta".