Manmohan Singh's SPG security withdrawn by MHA in 'routine' review, to be given Z+ cover by CRPF

The Special Protection Group (SPG) security for Manmohan Singh, who is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha, was withdrawn by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday. The former prime minister will be given a security cover by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Amit Shah-led ministry said in a statement. “The current security cover review is a periodical and professional exercise based on threat perception that is purely based on a professional assessment by security agencies. Dr Manmohan Singh continues to have a Z+ security cover,” the statement said.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA): The current security cover review is a periodical and professional exercise based on threat perception that is purely based on professional assessment by security agencies. Dr. Manmohan Singh continues to have a Z+ security cover. pic.twitter.com/qYxxg2abI3

— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2019

NDTV quoted sources as saying that Singh is “personally not concerned about his security and will go by the government’s decision”. The 86-year-old took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha for the sixth term last week. Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu administered the oath to Singh. Notably, while SPG security was withdrawn from HD Deve Gowda and VP Singh under the UPA’s tenure, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee continued to be given the exclusive security arrangement till his death in 2018 despite being inactive in public in the last few years because of his illness. The then-home minister P Chidambaram had said in 2012 that the UPA government had “consciously decided” to provide SPG protection to Vajpayee. The SPG will now have the responsibility of four leaders — Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. With inputs from agencies