PM’s Security Guidelines ‘Reiteration’ of Existing Rules: MHA

On 26 June, MHA officials had suggested that there has been an “all-time high” threat to PM Narendra Modi.

PM Narendra Modi 

(Photo: Reuters)

A day after officials suggested there has been an "all-time high" threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the home ministry, on 27 June, said guidelines for security arrangements of VVIPs were required to be "reiterated from time to time".

It said guidelines for the security of prime minister was issued "reiterating" the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and laid down norms, and did not contain any "specific" reference to ministers and other dignitaries.

Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs has reiterated the guidelines/ standard operating procedures issued earlier regarding security arrangements of VVIPs during road shows, to all states and union territories.

MHA statement

"These guidelines/ SOPs are not new; they are reiteration of existing guidelines and do not contain any specific reference to ministers or other dignitaries," it said in a statement.

The ministry said no new restrictions have been added through these guidelines and SOPs and only the laid down protocols have been reiterated.

Threat to Modi ‘All Time High’, Even Ministers Can’t Come Too Close: Source

On 26 June, news agency PTI had reported that Union Home Ministry , in its new security guidelines to states, said no one, not even ministers, will be allowed to come too close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi unless cleared by the Special Protection Group (SPG).

There has been an “all-time high” threat to the prime minister and he is the “most valuable target” in the run-up to the 2019 general elections, officials privy to the issue told PTI.

The SPG is believed to have advised Modi, the main campaigner for the ruling BJP, to cut down on road shows, which invite a bigger threat, in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, and instead address public rallies, which are easier to manage, PTI reported on 26 June quoting official sources.

The close protection team (CPT) of the prime minister's security had been briefed about the new set of rules and the threat assessment and instructed to frisk even a minister or an officer, if necessary, according to the news wire.

PM’s Security Was Reviewed Recently

The prime minister's security apparatus was reviewed threadbare recently after the Pune Police told a court on 7 June that they had seized a "letter" from the Delhi residence of one of the five people arrested for having alleged "links" with the banned CPI (Maoist), another official said.

The purported letter allegedly mentioned a plan to “assassinate” Modi in “another Rajiv Gandhi-type incident”, the police had told the court.

Also, during Modi's recent visit to West Bengal, a man was able to break through six layers of security to touch his feet, sending the security agencies into a tizzy.

Following these developments, Home Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Intelligence Bureau Director Rajiv Jain to review the prime minister's security.

In that meeting, the home minister had directed that all necessary measures be taken in consultation with other agencies to suitably strengthen security arrangements for the prime minister.

Maoist-hit states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal were termed sensitive by the Home Ministry and the police chiefs of these states were told to be extra careful when the prime minister visits their states, the official said.

Security agencies are believed to be specially monitoring the Kerala-based Popular Front of India (PFI), an outfit that the government believes is a front for radical groups.

(With inputs from PTI)