Sources in the Union home ministry said that Varun Gandhi was a special Y category protectee (three PSO's round the clock, one escort and pilot vehicle) and after various reviews, the arrangement was found adequate.
The Government today rejected BJP MP Varun Gandhi's plea for more security and also dismissed his mother, Maneka Gandhi's allegation in a letter to prime minister Manmohan Singh that the home ministry had adopted a "lackadaisical" approach to threats to his life.
Sources in the Union home ministry said that the 29-year-old Varun Gandhi was a special Y category protectee (three PSO's round the clock, one escort and pilot vehicle) and after various reviews, the arrangement was found adequate.
Maneka, in a letter to the prime minister, had referred to the arrest by the Delhi Police of six sharp shooters of the Chota Shakeel gang, saying that they wanted to target Varun, a claim denied by the police.
"I am amazed at the lackadaisical attitude of your government...the home ministry has taken these threats so casually, so lightly that I am appalled," Maneka said in her letter.
"When Varun met the home minister, the latter was so arrogant and careless of his duties that he simply informed him that he could not protect everyone in the country. It is as if you want Varun Gandhi to be killed," she had said.
However, the home ministry officials said a thorough check was conducted and all those arrested by the Delhi Police were questioned separately during which it was clear that they had come to kill a lawyer, who was one of the lawyers representing Varun's case in the Supreme Court.
The lawyer, Sidaratha Luthra has been provided with a PSO as he was the target of inter-gang rivalry between Chota Shakeel and Chota Rajan's gang, police said.
Varun who is out on bail in cases relating to alleged hate speeches during electioneering, had met P Chidambaram last month and sought more protection.
The Union home ministry had provided Varun, who made his electoral debut from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, with a pilot car and an escort vehicle during campaigning.
As per the rules, his additional security had to be withdrawn after the election process ended and reverted to 'X' category (guarded by a PSO).
Varun was arrested on March 29 by Uttar Pradesh Police under the National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly inciting communal passions, a move which was, however, rejected by the UP board that has to confirm the invoking of the NSA.
Varun was granted bail on April 16 by the Supreme Court.
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