Security not given on someone's 'whims and fancies': Govt

In the wake of Priyanka Gandhi asking the Special Protection Group to withdraw exemptions given to her family from security checks, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Monday asked why she was trying score a "brownie point" as security does not depend on "someone's whims and fancies".

"One should not politicise security issues. I have failed to understand why someone is trying to score a political brownie point. Security does not depend on whims and fancies of any individual," Rijiju told reporters here without naming Priyanka.

He was responding to a question on Priyanka's letter to SPG chief where she asked the organisation to withdraw the exemption given to her and her family from normal security checks at airports, a plea that comes in the wake of reports that government is considering cancellation of such a facility to her husband Robert Vadra.

"It is better to leave to the security agencies to take a decision," Rijiju said.

In a letter to the SPG chief Durga Prasad, Priyanka referred to media reports of possible removal of her husband's name from the list of security protectees exempt from security checks at airports and said she would appreciate if it is done at the earliest.

Priyanka said Vadra's inclusion in the list was made at the instance of previous SPG chiefs and Delhi Police and not upon any request by "either of us who were informed after the fact".

Vadra was under repeated attack from Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders during the recent election campaign besides the barbs targeting Priyanka, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

"Since the government is now reportedly considering the removal of his name, I would like to inform you that I do not feel it will be correct for my children and me to avail the facility of exemption of these checks while entering or exiting airports when we are all travelling together.

"It is only right for us to go through the normal channel at airports and be frisked etc. as per normal procedure at such times as you will appreciate that it makes no sense for a family travelling together to fall under different categories of exemption," Priyanka had said.