Days after losing SPG cover, security breach reported at Priyanka Gandhi's home; complaint filed with CRPF

New Delhi: In a security breach, seven persons in a car allegedly drove up to the porch of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s Lodhi Estate home, got off and walked up to her to ask for photographs, sources said on Monday. The Congress general secretary’s office has taken up the issue of the security breach that occurred on 26 November with the Central Reserve Police Force, they said. The car drove right up to the porch near the garden at her home with three men, three women and a girl coming out of the vehicle, the sources said. [caption id=“attachment_3216310” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Priyanka Gandh Vadrai. PTI[/caption] They walked up to Priyanka and asked for photos to be taken with her. She spoke with them nicely, they took pictures with her and then left, the sources said. The matter was taken up with the CRPF by some persons in her office later. Delhi Police sources said that as per the new arrangement, the CRPF and the Delhi Police are looking after the security at Priyanka Gandhi’s 35 Lodhi Estate residence. “Some communication gap seems to have occurred on the day of the incident. Necessary corrective measures have been initiated,” a Delhi Police source said. Asked about the security breach, Congress MP Amee Yajnik at a party briefing said “you can see what is happening when an SPG cover is removed for reasons best known to the government”. “It is very difficult to understand the rationale of the psyche of the present ruling dispensation in taking away the SPG cover. It is very sad that apart from high dignitaries, some other dignitaries get extra ordinary security cover without any threat perceptions,” she said. The Centre last month replaced the SPG (Special Protection Group) cover of the family of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, assassinated by LTTE terrorists on 21 May, 1991, with ‘Z-plus’ security provided by the Central Reserve Police Force. Under Z-plus security, they are being protected by CRPF commandos in close proximity besides guards at their homes and where ever they travel in the country. To reporters’ queries on SPG cover being removed from the Gandhi family, Priyanka earlier simply replied, “It’s part of politics and this keeps happening.” The Gandhis are without SPG protection after 28 years. They were included in the VVIP security list following an amendment in September, 1991 in the SPG Act of 1988. On 27 November, the Lok Sabha passed a bill to amend the SPG Act. According to the amendment, the SPG will now protect the prime minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official residence. It will also provide security to former prime ministers and their immediate family members staying with them at the residence allotted for a period of five years from the date on which they cease to hold the office.