Former PM Manmohan Singh divested of SPG security, will enjoy Z+ protection

The central government may withdraw the Special Protection Security cover of the ex-prime ministers and their sons and daughters whose threat perception is negligible.

The former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s 3000 strong security in charge have been reportedly informed about this decision orally by a senior officer. The former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is aware of this governmental decision who has been asked to wait. The SPG unit posted outside the Moti Lal Nehru residence of former prime minister had also been informed about the decision and had been asked to wait for a final decision. Dr. Manmohan Singh’s daughters had already given up the SPG security cover voluntarily in 2014.

The SPG comprising of 3000 elite force would be available only to the present prime minister Narendra Modi, Congress leaders Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

The decision was reportedly taken after a three months review involving the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Home Affairs with inputs from intelligence agencies, the Research and Analysis Wing and the Intelligence Bureau.  According to the official privy to the development, who asked not to be named the government had according to the procedures laid down by the SPG act 1988, renewed Dr. Singh’ s SPG details for a year and thereafter for three months, including for his wife Gursharan Kaur.

“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,” a home ministry official said.

An officer of the security establishment said the withdrawal will hardly make any difference as now the former PM will enjoy Z-level protection, which essentially meant that there is no cap on the number of personnel and vehicles that can be deployed for his security.