The Special Protection Group, guarding the Prime Minister, earned the wrath of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for insulting the State’s top police officer on Sunday. Hardly 24 hours after she sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh blasting the UPA Government for the lapses in the Food Security Act 2013, Jayalalithaa on Sunday dispatched another letter to him condemning the humiliation meted out to State Director General of Police K Ramanujam by the SPG.
The Prime Minister had visited Thirumayam in Puthukottai, 375 km from Chennai district on August 2 to commission the piping unit of the Bharat Heavy Electrical ltd, one of the Nav Rathna public sector undertakings. Though the Chief Minister was away at her Kodanadu Retreat, she had deputed State Ministers and all senior bureaucrats to receive the Prime Minister on his arrival at Tiruchirappalli airport.
Ramanujam, who was in his uniform, was walking towards the aircraft along with other Ministers from the State to receive the PM and other dignitaries when he was ‘rudely accosted and prevented’ from approaching the aircraft by a lower wrung official of the SPG. The Chief Minister has demanded strong disciplinary action against the SPG official.
“I have been informed that at Tiruchirappalli airport, when the Director General Of Police, Tamil Nadu, was walking towards the ladder point of the aircraft to receive you along with the Hon’ble Ministers from Tamil Nadu, Chief Secretary and Collector of Tiruchirappalli, the Director General of Police was rudely accosted and prevented from approaching the aircraft by a lower level officer of the Special Protection Group who was part of the security team on duty,” Jayalalithaa said in the letter, excerpts of which was released to the media on Sunday. She said the Tamil Nadu Government had sent a detailed list of those who would receive the Prime Minister at the ladder point to the Prime Minister’s Office well in advance which was duly confirmed by the PMO on August 1, 2013.
Jayalalithaa described the incident outrageous and said it has put the SPG in very poor light. Demanding action against the SPG personnel, the Chief Minister said, “It is most astonishing that the SPG could not recognise the Director General of Police of Tamil Nadu, the topmost ranking police officer in the State even while he was in uniform.”
She also reminded the PM that it was the very same director general of police who was responsible for the elaborate security arrangements to ensure, a peaceful, trouble-free atmosphere during his visit to the State.
It has become clear that Jayalalithaa is not at all amused by the Prime Minister, who waxed eloquence on her during his speech at the BHEl plant. Manmohan Singh had complimented Jayalalithaa for the all round progress made by Tamil Nadu under her leadership.