Indian
Express: Ahmedabad: Tuesday, 25 November 2014.
Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s wife, Jashodaben Modi, on Monday filed an application
under the Right To Information Act, seeking details of the official order under
which she has been provided security cover and what other “services” she is
entitled to among other things.
One of the
grounds cited for her concern is former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s
assassination by her personal security guards.
In her RTI
plea dated November 24, sent to the Superintendent of Police, Mehsana,
Jashodaben, 62, a retired schoolteacher who lives in Unjha town of Mehsana
district, has listed 12 queries. Some of these are:
· “India’s
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was attacked and killed by her personal
bodyguards, because of which we are very afraid of our bodyguards. So we want
the complete information on the guards protecting us, and if they have a copy
of the order under which they are deployed here. If they don’t have it, then on
whose orders they don’t have it. We need a certified copy of that order with
all these details”.
· “I
have been given protection as per protocol. Please do elaborate what other kind
of services can I get as per the protocol, and I also appeal for an elaborate
definition of this protocol.”
· “When
I am travelling by public transport, the security personnel protecting me
travel by government vehicles. Under whose orders do they use government
vehicles, kindly furnish the certified copies of the same urgently… under which
law is this covered?”
· Another
question reiterates how she used public transport while her guards used
government vehicles. “Do let me know if I am eligible under this protocol or
not.”
· “The
security personnel who are deployed to work for ensuring my protection have
told us that we should treat them like guests, so if the protocol could be
explained and a copy of the same furnished. While we have repeatedly asked the
security commandos to show us the order by which they are assigned to protect
us and whose authority does this come under, they have failed to do so.”
Most of her
questions begin with, “Amo arajdar vada pradhanna patni Jashodaben Modi
Chhiye…”(I, the petitioner who is the Prime Minister’s wife Jashodaben Modi…).
In her RTI plea, Jashodaben has sought a reply in the next 48 hours, with
relevant documents, stating that the issues concern her “life and death”.
Confirming
that she had filed the RTI plea, Jashodaben’s younger brother, Ashok Modi, with
whom she lives, said: “How would it feel for a PM’s wife to move about on an
Activa (two wheeler)? After all she is the first lady, so why not give her
adequate transport facilities to move around. While we have never asked for
this security cover and are, in fact, tired of it, we have not been shown the
order authorising this security cover. Also, since she has VVIP status, why not
give her an identity card for the same. These SPG commandos who protect her are
in plainclothes and not in uniform.”
According to
Ashok Modi, about 10 SPG commandos, in two shifts, have been deployed for her
security. “Vada pradhan na patni ne shu malvu joiye? Je prem emne malvu joiye,
e nathi maltu. What necessary facilities should a a PM’s wife be getting, the
love that she should be getting is not being given to her,” he said.
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