New Delhi: The autobiography of former Chief Election Commissioner T.N.Sation states that the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi rejected the proposal to include former Prime Ministers in the SPG security ring.
D. N. Session’s autobiographical book titled ‘Through the Broken Glass’ has been released.
It said: The Special Protection Force (SPG) Act was enacted in 1988 to provide maximum protection to the Prime Minister and his family. Earlier, when the bill was being drafted, I had insisted that SPG protection should also be given to former prime ministers. But then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi rejected it.
I pointed out that former presidents in the US are also given ABI protection. I informed that security should be provided to the former Prime Minister and his family. Rajiv rejected the suggestion. I tried my best to pacify him in this matter. It didn’t work. This is what he said in it.
T. N. Sashan from Tamil Nadu served as the Chief Election Commissioner from 1990 to 1996. Prior to that, he served as Union Secretary of Environment and Forests. He was also the officer in charge of the Prime Minister’s security. On May 21, 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a human bomb attack while participating in an election campaign meeting in Sriperumbudur. He did not hold the post of Prime Minister then. It is to be noted that T.N.Session passed away on November 10, 2019.
Last year 2019, 2 major amendments were made in the SPG Act. SPG cover is provided only to the Prime Minister and his immediate family members residing with him. Ex-PM and his family will be given SPG protection only for 5 years after leaving office. At the same time, if the former Prime Minister dies, the SPG cover for his family will be withdrawn.
