SPG Bill aims to make force more efficient: Shah

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to amend the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act.The amendment says the SPG will now protect only the Prime Minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official residence.

New Delhi: The Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

According to the amendment the elite force will now only protect the Prime Minister and his immediate family residing with him at his official residence, and former PM and his kin residing with him at the residence allotted to him for a period of five years from the date he demits the office.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the purpose of the amendment in the Special Protection Group (SPG) Amendment Bill, 2019 is to enhance the efficiency of the elite black cat commandos.

Shah's remarks came while moving for consideration and passing the Bill in the Lok Sabha which seeks amendment to the SPG Act, 1988 that provides for the constitution and regulation of an armed force of the Union for providing 'proximate security' to the Prime Minister and former Prime Ministers and members of their immediate families and for matters connected therewith.

"The purpose of the SPG Bill is to make the Special Protection Group become more efficient and there should not be any apathy in its work," Shah said.

Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy on Monday introduced the Bill.

The opposition termed the Centre's move a 'vindictive approach' and 'political vendetta' against the Gandhi family.

Rejecting the opposition's allegation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre's purpose behind the SPG (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is not a 'vindictive' approach as it is not the way of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but 'it was the approach of Congress'.

He said the reality is that the Bill, which seeks an amendment to the SPG Act, 1988, does not aim to remove the SPG protection of the Gandhi family and it restores the original intent of the Act.

Shah clarified that the Gandhi family's security has not been "withdrawn but it has been changed". "Gandhi family has been provided Z plus security cover under Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with ASL (Advance Security Liaison) and ambulance facility".

Hitting out at the Centre over the bill to amend Special Protection Group Act, Congress leader Manish Tewari said, "This is a multiparty democracy and such issues should be kept above party biases. Just because someone no longer remains Prime Minister does not mean that threat posed to them due to decisions taken by them in that position reduces."

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary also alleged that government is targeting Gandhi family and an attempt is being made by the Home Minister to malign the image of congress leaders.

Shah said the spirit of the bill was reflected in its title and the system of protection has been created according to the stature of the post.

The SPG, he said not only provides physical security to Prime Minister but also protects his office, communications.

He said the word 'Special' in the Act refers to the security of prime minister.

"The word 'Protection' does not refer to only physical security but communications, office and is in accordance with the dignity and stature of the post.'

The word 'Group' in SPG, he said, refers to specialised elite training where there is no dilution in its efficiency.

The Bill came days after the government withdrew the SPG security cover provided to members of the Gandhi family - Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka.

The Act was amended in 1991, 1994, 1999 and 2003 to extend SPG cover to the former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members also, for different periods after demitting the office of the Prime Minister.

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