The winter session of parliament began last week.
Home Minister Amit Shah this afternoon addressed the Lok Sabha today a bill to amend the Special Protection Group (SPG) Act was introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday by Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishen Reddy.
This comes days after the government withdrew the elite security cover provided to members of the Gandhi family. According to the proposed amendment, family members of former prime ministers would not be entitled to the coveted SPG security cover, news agency PTI reported.
Elite SPG commandos will now protect only the prime minister. They can also protect former prime ministers depending on the threat perception to them.
Here are the live updates on Parliament winter session:
"Ex-PM Should Be Provided With Same Level Of Security Arrangements": Manish Tewari
Congress's Manish Tewari today attacked the centre in Lok Sabha on SPG Act Amendment. "Former Prime Minister should be provided with the same level of protection as the Prime Minister," he said.
Congress's Manish Tewari Counters Amit Shah On SPG ActOn SPG Act, Congress's Manish Tewari countered Home Minister Amit Shah. "Security is provided on the basis of a threat perception and assessment. Based on the security assessment, a level of cover is provided - be it X or X+, Y or Y+, Z or Z+ and so on. But my question is that is a threat assessment 100% accurate? Can there not be an incident despite of the security assessment?" he asked.
"There have been so many leaders in our country as well as nations around the world, where incidents happened later based on some decision that was taken by them earlier," he said.
I have come here with an amendment in Special Protection Group (SPG) Act. After the amendment, under this Act, SPG cover will be given only to the PM and members of his family who live officially with him at the PM's residence: Amit Shah in Lok Sabha
Former Prime Ministers and their families to get SPG cover for 5 years since their terms are over: Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha