Cruel of Modi to withdraw SPG cover of Gandhis: Cong

Congress on Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for displaying its “cruelty” by withdrawing the Special Protection Group (SPG) cover of party chief Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Top Congress leaders demanded revocation of the decision of the Centre, while Youth Congress activists hit the streets by demonstrating in front of the Home Minister's official residence in the national capital.

“Modi and Amit Shah have murdered every democratic tradition by withdrawing the SPG cover of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi,” AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal told reporters at a late evening press conference at the AICC headquarters here.

Venugopal said the decision to withdraw SPG security showed the “cruelty of this government”. “They are doing politics in such a meaningful manner. Such vendetta cannot be accepted. People of India can very well understand the criminal mind of these people,” he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh told the Modi government that the SPG cover was not “political favour” but a “necessity” given the prevailing security scenario. “The decision should be revoked at the earliest,” Singh said.

Congress reminded the Modi government that two former prime ministers have been assassinated for want of adequate security. “It makes the family vulnerable. The state has a duty to protect and the SPG cover was not favour,” senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said.

Congress cited the security assessment made by the SPG about the threat perception to the Gandhi family over the past year as a case in the point for retention of the elite security cover.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said the BJP had “descended to the ultimate personal vendetta mechanism, compromising the lives of family members of two former Prime Ministers to acts of terror and violence.”