The Central government on Friday decided to withdraw the Special Protection Group security cover for the Gandhi family. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will now get Z plus security provided by the CRPF.
According to reports, the decision to withdraw the SPG security cover for the Gandhis was taken after an assessment by all security agencies. Commandos trained by the Central Reserve Police Force will take over the Gandhis' security cover.
Sources said that there has been no direct threat to the Gandhi family in the recent past. Former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and his mother Indira Gandhi were assassinated.
The SPG was formed after then PM Indira Gandhi's assassination in 1984. The SPG, an elite security force, provides proximate security to the prime minister of India and their family family members. The SPG also protects former prime ministers for a certain time; this protection is reviewed periodically and is extended or downgraded.
The Centre had recently withdrawn the SPG cover of former prime minister Manmohan Singh. Singh's security cover was also downgraded from SPG to Z plus.
