The Ministry said that the force is a professional organisation which guards the serving prime minister, former prime ministers and their families.
Terming it baseless, the Union Home Ministry on Monday said Congress president Rahul Gandhi's statement that a former Special Protection Group (SPG) chief had to quit because he refused to accept a list of officers handpicked by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is devoid of fact.
The Ministry said that the force is a professional organisation which guards the serving prime minister, former prime ministers and their families. Rahul Gandhi, his mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and sister Priyanka Vadra are among SPG protectees. "The comment reportedly made by Rahul Gandhi through the media is baseless, devoid of fact and unfortunate, coming from an SPG protectee," the Ministry said in a statement.
The SPG takes its task very seriously, and in the highest professional spirit, the Ministry said.
Gandhi, at an interaction with academicians on Saturday, had also alleged that educational institutions, the Supreme Court and the Election Commission of India and others are "systematically being captured" by the RSS.
Citing an example, the Congress chief had alleged, "When Mr (Narendra) Modi came to power, a person from Gujarat was chosen to head the SPG. In a short time, he left the position. He told me that he refused a list of SPG officers handpicked by the RSS, and that is why he was sent home."
The Home Ministry said the matter has been verified and the officer in question, Vivek Srivastava, former SPG director, has specifically averred that he did not have any such conversation with 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 (Rahul) Gandhi, there was no talk whatsoever regarding the appointment of a new director, or the reasons for his leaving the SPG," the statement said.
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