Yesterday Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Lok Sabha and told that Prime Minister Narendra Modi follow strict norms and protocols when visit foreign lands. He said that PM Modi has stopped the practice of staying in a hotel when there is a technical halt during international trips for refuelling of aircraft or any other reason. PM Modi stays at the terminal during the entire process.
While replying to the Lok Sabha members on the debate on Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Shah said that PM Modi have now ‘started the practice of taking less than 20% staff’ whenever he visits abroad.
Shah added, ‘Earlier when prime ministers went abroad, a hotel was booked for an overnight stay during technical halts to get fuel. Narendra Modi has till today not booked a hotel during a technical halt. He stays at the airport, takes bath there and proceeds further after refuelling is done.’
He continued by saying ‘Similarly for the official delegation, he has discouraged using a large number of cars’. In the past ‘officials were using separate cars, now they use a bus or a large vehicle’.
Continuing on the debate for the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Shah said SPG (Special Protection Group) security has been misused and its norms were violated on numerous instances by the Gandhi family, on the other hand, PM Modi who has had the state security for 20 years never once disobeyed the ‘security blue book’.
He said, some people had made security cover a status symbol of some kind, and were enjoying the security status that is provided to a Prime Minister.
Shah, responding to Gaurav Gogo, Congress, said the PM Modi did not violate any SPG Protocol in Gujarat during the seaplane ride. The SPG had examined and inspected the seaplane and even had SPG personnel on board which accompanied PM Modi.
He added that PM Modi took a personal risk just to promote tourism without violating SPG protocols, whereas there as some (Protectees) who ‘ride expensive bikes at 100 km/hr in Lutyens’ Delhi security cars are left behind’.
Shah said people who have SPG security should not travel without it, as he targeted Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
He said ‘If we have been given security, what is the secret thing we have to do to leave it behind at home. We do not go without security. Rajnath Ji is sitting here. For many years, those wearing black uniform (commandos) accompany him even to the toilet but he never says anything. If security has been provided, why not keep it with you?”
He said, Rahul Gandhi, since 2016, had travelled almost 1,900 times in Delhi and around 250 times abroad without notifying SPG. He added, the three Congress leaders should keep the Z+ (Z plus) security with them at all times.
