New Delhi: Former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh’s Special Protection Group (SPG) security cover has been withdrawn by the central government. The SPG is the country’s highest grade of protection given to incumbent and former Prime Ministers and their immediate family. The Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement that the decision to downgrade Manmohan Singh’s security was taken after review by multiple security agencies. Singh will, however, continue to enjoy a ‘Z Plus’ security cover.
“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,” the MHA said.
Manmohan Singh had served as the Prime Minister of India for two consecutive terms between 2004 and 2014. The ‘Z Plus’ is the second-highest security cover in the country after the SPG. The ‘Z Plus’ category has a security cover of 55 personnel which includes NSG and CRPF commandos.
The latest decision to downgrade the security of Manmohan Singh comes months after a review involving the Cabinet Secretariat and the MHA with inputs from various intelligence agencies.
Earlier in July, the central security cover provided to several leaders from across the political spectrum were downgraded by the government. The leaders include Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav, RSS leader Indresh Kumar, Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Himachal Pradesh Governor Kalraj Mishra among others.
