MHA denies issuing new guidelines for VVIP security

Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ashok Prasad, refuted media reports claiming that fresh guidelines had been issued for the security arrangements of VVIPs.

Speaking to ANI, Prasad said only the existing guidelines were reiterated and did not contain any specific reference to Ministers or other dignitaries.

"Reports appeared in certain sections of media about VVIP security do not appear to be factually correct. The guidelines are not new and are a reiteration of existing guidelines and do not contain any specific reference to minister or any other dignitaries," he said.

Earlier in the day, Ministry of Home Affairs said that no new restriction has been added to the guidelines or standard operating procedures (SOP) for the security arrangements of VVIPs and other ministers.

"The guidelines/SOPs are not new; they are a reiteration of existing guidelines and do not contain any specific reference to Ministers or other dignitaries No new restrictions have been added through these guidelines/SOPs and only the laid down protocols have been reiterated," read the statement.

This clarification from the ministry came a day after it was reported that the security arrangement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been tightened in the wake of the upcoming General Election in 2019.

It was reported that due to an "all-time high" threat to Prime Minister Modi, even ministers and officers will not be allowed to come too close to him unless cleared by the Special Protection Group (SPG).

The close protection team (CPT) of the prime minister's security was also reported to be briefed as per the new guidelines.

Recently, the Pune police told a court that they were in possession of a letter, seized from the residence of one of the five people who has been arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence, which talks about the assassination of Prime Minister Modi in Rajiv Gandhi-type incident.

The General elections are due to be held in April or May 2019 to constitute the seventeenth Lok Sabha.