india

Updated: Nov 08, 2019 19:33 IST

The Congress on Friday hit out at the Centre after it decided to withdraw the Special Protection Group (SPG) security cover to the party president Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha member Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The decision was taken on the recommendation of a top security review panel that carries out a threat perception analysis of protected persons. A formal order to accept this panel’s recommendation was issued on Thursday.

The three Gandhis will now be protected by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), people familiar with the development said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah have been blinded by revenge and personal vendetta,” Congress general secretary in-charge of organisation KC Venugopal.

“They have murdered every democratic tradition today by withdrawing the SPG security cover to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra,” Venugopal said during a press conference.

He pointed out was former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had amended the law to give cover to the family members of the two former PMs.

Venugopal said former prime minister Manmohan Singh and other senior leaders of the party had written a letter to the cabinet secretary, urging him not to withdraw the SPG cover to the Gandhi family.

“The government is playing with the lives of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi,” Venugopal said.

Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said Modi and Shah should have read a few lines from the Justice JS Verma commission’s report in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Modi and Shah have shown their political level by taking away the Gandhi’s SPG cover, he said.

Congress workers staged a protest near Union home minister Amit Shah’s residence against the government’s decision to withdraw SPG cover of the Gandhi family.