Home minister P Chidambaram said action has been initiated over the protection of Varun taking into account the inputs provided by intelligence agencies.
Dismissing the BJP's allegation that Varun Gandhi has not been provided with adequate security, home minister P Chidambaram today said action has been initiated over the protection of the young MP taking into account the inputs provided by intelligence agencies.
Responding to BJP's deputy leader Sushma Swaraj's statement in the Lok Sabha that Varun did not get a "satisfactory" and "logical" response from him after seeking upgraded security, Chidambaram said the government has acted on the letter given by Varun on March 20.
"The government has also taken into account the inputs provided by the intelligence agencies. As in the case of every other protected person, the level of security provided to Varun Gandhi is periodically reviewed," the home minister said in a letter to Swaraj.
Referring to Swaraj mentioning the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha yesterday, Chidambaram said he would be happy to respond in the House and disclose the level of security provided to Varun Gandhi.
"...I thought that (discussing the issue in Parliament) would defeat the very purpose of providing security to Varun Gandhi. I, therefore, suggest that, if you wish, you may kindly meet me and I shall take you into confidence about the security cover provided to Varun," the letter said.
Swaraj had said that Varun had met the home minister in this regard but sadly the response he got was neither "satisfactory" nor "logical".
Swaraj had also said the matter could not be brushed aside by saying that security aspect is looked after by the home secretary as it involves an MP.
Sources in the home ministry said that the 29-year-old leader was provided with special Y category protectee (three PSO's round the clock, one escort, pilot vehicle and ten house guards) and after various reviews, the arrangement was found adequate.
Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi had also alleged in a letter to prime minister Manmohan Singh that the home ministry had adopted a "lackadaisical" approach to threats to his life.
Maneka, in the letter, had referred to the arrest by the Delhi Police of six sharp-shooters of Chhota Shakeel gang, saying that they wanted to target Varun, a claim denied by the police.
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