In the wake of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s demand for fool-proof security to Narendra Modi, the government on Wednesday said the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate's security has already been tightened but ruled out Special Protection Group protection for him.
"We have already given adequate security to Narendra Modi. Whatever security is required, we have given to Modi," Minister of State for Home RPN Singh told media persons in New Delhi.
The minister also hit back at the BJP with a reference to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, saying: “I want to tell the National Democratic Alliance when they were in power, Rajiv Gandhi wasn't given the security of even a sub-inspector. Maybe that's why he lost his life.”
He was reacting to BJP's allegation that the serial blasts at its rally in Patna were an attempt to liquidate the party leadership, including Modi. The party has demanded the Centre should take adequate measures to provide fool-proof security to the leader.
"We have given him (Modi) NSG security which is very high level of security. We have also ordered conducting advance security drill before his visit to any place," Singh said.
The minister said security to a person is given according to his or her threat perception and the cover for Modi has been provided according to his threat perception.
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'Modi's security adequate, Rajiv didn't have even a sub-inspector'
He ruled out extension of SPG security to Modi, saying that under an Act of Parliament, SPG protection is given only to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.
"BJP knows this fact but trying to do politics in the name of Modi's security," he said.
The opposition party has accused both the Centre and the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar of gross negligence, intelligence failure and laxity in providing the requisite security for his Patna rally last month.
Reminding BJP leaders about the alleged laxity in providing security to Rajiv Gandhi when he was out of power, the minister said the former prime minister was not given security even at the level of a Sub-Inspector. He was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu in May 1991.
"But we are not doing like that. The home ministry wants to give the assurance to everyone that it will give security to anyone according to his or her threat perception. Fool-proof security will be given to Modi," he said.
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