It has been reported in a section of the media that Shri Rahul Gandhi, during an interaction at New Delhi on Saturday (Sept 22), had commented that “The SPG Chief appointed by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had to quit because he refused to accept a list of SPG officers handpicked by the RSS”.
The matter has been verified. The officer in question, Shri Vivek Srivastava, former Director, Special Protection Group (SPG), has specifically averred that he did not have any such conversation with Shri Rahul Gandhi at any point of time. The officer has stated that as part of his professional duties he interacted with SPG protectees; however, he has categorically stated that during his interaction with Shri Gandhi, there was no talk whatsoever regarding the appointment of a new Director or the reasons for his leaving SPG.
SPG is a professional organisation which takes its task of protecting serving Prime Ministers, former Prime Ministers and their families entrusted to its security, very seriously and in the highest professional spirit. The comment reportedly made by Shri Gandhi through the media is baseless, devoid of fact and unfortunate, coming from an SPG protectee.
