Congress, DMK members raise issue of withdrawal of SPG security cover to Gandhi family

Congress member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday sought to raise the issue of withdrawal of SPG cover to party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in the Lok Sabha but Speaker Om Birla said the matter had been already raised by them.

Seeking to raise the issue during zero hour, Chowdhury said that the people were concerned over the withdrawal of SPG security to the family of former Prime Minister.

DMK leader TR Baalu also sought to raise the issue saying that there was threat perception to the Gandhi family.

Choudhury said that the Gandhi family had SPG security cover since 1991 and the BJP-led NDA governments in the past had not taken such a step.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the Congress had given an adjournment notice on the issue and since it had not been accepted by the Speaker, they could not raise the issue in the zero hour.

He said the party has to give a zero hour notice to raise the issue.

Congress members had been protesting in the House since morning on the issue and had come near the Speaker's podium during question hour.

They raised slogans against the government, saying that "attacks on the opposition should stop".

The government has decided to withdraw SPG cover to members of Gandhi family after a security review and replace it with 'Z plus' security cover of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).