In the wake of BJP's demand for fool-proof security to Narendra Modi, the government today said the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate's security has already been tightened but ruled out SPG protection for him.
"We have already given adequate security to Narendra Modi. Whatever security is required, we have given to Modi," Minister of State for Home RPN Singh told reporters here.
He was reacting to BJP's allegation that the serial blasts at its rally in Patna was an attempt to liquidate the party leadership, including Modi. The party has demanded the Centre should take adequate measures to provide fool-proof security to the leader.
"We have given him (Modi) NSG security which is very high level of security. We have also ordered conducting advance security drill before his visit to any place," Singh said.
The Minister said security to a person is given according to his or her threat perception and the cover for Modi has been provided according to his threat perception.
He ruled out extension of Special Protection Group security to Modi, saying that under an Act of Parliament, SPG protection is given only to the Prime Minister, former Prime Ministers and their immediate family members.
"BJP knows this fact but trying to do politics in the name of Modi's security," he said.
The opposition party has accused both the Centre and the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar of gross negligence, intelligence failure and laxity in providing the requisite security for his Patna rally last month.
Reminding BJP leaders about the alleged laxity in providing security to Rajiv Gandhi when he was out of power, the Minister said the former Prime Minister was not given security even at the level of a Sub-Inspector. He was killed in a suicide bomb attack in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu in May 1991.
"But we are not doing like that. The Home Ministry wants to give the assurance to everyone that it will give security to anyone according to his or her threat perception. Fool- proof security will be given to Modi," he said.
Modi's security central government's responsibility: BJP
IANS | New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party Tuesday said the security of its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was the responsibility of the central government.
The party accused both the Bihar and the central governments of "monumental failure" in providing adequate security to Modi during the party's "hunkaar" rally in Patna Oct 27 when a series of low-intensity bomb blasts claimed seven lives.
A statement issued by BJP's parliamentary board after its meeting here said the "murderous attack" was an attempt to liquidate the BJP leaders present at the rally.
The party accused the government of intelligence failure and being soft on terror.
"It was an attempt to inflict fatal injuries on the people present at the rally. Had the leaders and the audience not acted with restraint, panic and a resultant stampede would not have been avoided," the statement said.
The party said it viewed the incident as an attack on Indian democracy.
"It is a failed attempt to intimidate the BJP which is attracting an unprecedented support from the people across the country," the statement said. It said that the central and Bihar governments were grossly negligent in providing security to Modi.
It said Bihar Police "refused the protocol of advance security liaison (ASl) with the Gujarat Police on the pretext the central government had not required this."
"The venue was not sanitised. No anti-sabotage tests were conducted. Explosives could freely enter the venue," it said.
The party said recovery of bombs at the Gandhi Maidan and later in Ranchi establishes that a well-networked module of terrorist was operating in the region.
"It was an undetected module, indicating an intelligence failure. It is disturbing that despite this monumental failure, the central and the state governments are not apologetic and continue to be in denial over the security failure. The Patna fiasco indicates if governments are soft on terror, only such disaster will result. No alibi given by the Bihar government is adequate to absolve it of the guilt of gross negligence," the party said.
"The BJP demands the government take all necessary steps to provide adequate security to Narendra Modi. His security is the responsibility of the central government. The BJP hopes that the central government will not undermine Modi's security based on political and collateral considerations," the statement said.
Seven people, including a suspect, were killed and more than 80 injured when seven bombs exploded in Patna, most of them in and around the sprawling Gandhi Maidan where Modi later addressed a huge rally.
Modi Saturday met the families of some of those killed to share "their pain and agony". The National Investigation Agency and Jharkhand Police Monday recovered nine high-intensity bombs from Ranchi while searching for an accused. The bombs were similar to those found after the serial blasts.