Prime Minister Narendra Modi was slammed for criticizing Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. (File)
Clarifying over the security protocols in place for the safety of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the guidelines issued on Tuesday are not new and do not contain any specific reference to ministers or dignitaries. No new restrictions have been added, MHA said on Wednesday.
“Guidelines for security arrangements for VVIPs are required to be reiterated from time to time. Recently Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reiterated guidelines issued earlier on security arrangements for VVIPs during roadshows, to all States and Union Territories. These guidelines/sops are not new; they are a reiteration of existing guidelines and do not contain any specific reference to ministers or any other dignitaries. No new restrictions have been added through these guidelines /sops and only the laid down protocols have been reiterated,” MHA said in a statement.
On Tuesday, the MHA said not even ministers and officers will be allowed to come too close to the PM without clearance from the Special Protection Group. The guidelines have been issued in the wake of an “all-time high” threat to the prime minister.
The Ministry said there has been an “unknown threat” to Modi, who is the “most valuable target” in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, officials said.