SPG bill will restore its original intent, previous govts

Home Minister Amit Shah onWednesday asserted that the SPG (Amendment) Bill will restorethe law's original intent as it was enacted in 1988 only toprotect the prime minister and former prime minister

He accused previous governments of amending the originallaw from time to time to "dilute" it, an apparent reference tothe earlier decision to give the elite SPG cover to members ofthe Gandhi family, which included Sonia Gandhi, Rahul andPriyanka

The Modi government recently withdrew the SPG cover fromthe Gandhi family members.