From Indira Gandhi to Narendra Modi: When, how did the security of the Prime Minister increase in India and who is responsible now?

 The woman who was speaking on the stage hit a rock.  His nose began to bleed.  

He wiped away the blood and continued his speech.

 The woman was none other than the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, who was assassinated by her bodyguards in 1984.

 The security of the Prime Minister has always been a serious issue in the country.  

With the changing times, the security requirements for the post of Prime Minister also changed.

 After being trapped in the crowd of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy during his recent visit to the Indian state of Punjab, the debate on the security of the Prime Minister has started once again.

 The people want to know who is responsible for the security of the Prime Minister and what kind of preparations were made for it.

 Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held several rallies in the electoral state of Uttar Pradesh. 

 However, he had to attend a meeting in Punjab on January 5.

 The Prime Minister had to reach Ferozepur by helicopter for the rally but due to bad weather he decided to go by road.

 The Indian Home Ministry said in a statement that the Prime Minister's convoy had left for the road only after security was assured by the Punjab Director General of Police.  

The DGP assured that all security arrangements have been made.

 But on the way the farmers protested against the Prime Minister and his caravan had to stop for a moment. 

 The policemen removed hundreds of protesters across the trucks.

 The place where the Prime Minister's convoy stopped is about 30 km from the Pakistan border. 

 According to reports, his car was stuck on the bridge for 15-20 minutes.

 It is being termed as a major shortcoming in the security of the Prime Minister.  

The BJP and the Congress are questioning each other.  BJP leader and Union Minister Asmarti Irani said in a statement that the bloody intentions of the Congress have failed".

 Smriti Irani even said that there are some people in the Congress who hate Modi and are trying to undermine the security of the Prime Minister.

 On the other hand, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala has denied the allegations of Imrati Irani and said that people could not gather at the rally of the Prime Minister as expected and the Prime Minister canceled his rally to avoid embarrassing situation.  

 But to understand who is responsible for the security of the Prime Minister, we have to go through the history of this subject.

 Prime Minister and Security

 When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of independent India in 1947, he used to travel in an open car. 

 Nehru was a popular leader but he also faced protests.

 When Indira Gandhi was stoned in 1967, the security of the Prime Minister was beefed up.  But the turning point in the Prime Minister's security came after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984.

 In fact, the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government had launched a military operation, 'Operation Blue Star', to drive separatists out of the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

 In her speech on October 30, 1984, Indira Gandhi said, "I am today, not tomorrow, but as long as I live, I will use every drop of my blood to strengthen my nation."

 The very next day, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own Sikh bodyguards.

 The incident sparked anti-Sikh riots in the capital, New Delhi. 

 At that time, there was a strong reaction across the country and law and order was disrupted.

 The following year, in 1985, the Special Protection Group, or SPG, was set up to protect the Prime Minister. 

 The SPG Act was passed in Parliament in 1988.  

In many countries, a special force has been set up to protect the prime minister, president or other political leaders, such as the Secret Service in the United States.

 You may have seen people walking with the Prime Minister in black safari suits, goggles and weapons in their hands. 

 They have walkie-talkies and earplugs.  These are SPG officers.

 These SPG personnel undergo various types of specialized training.  They are specially designed for this purpose.  

Their responsibility is to provide security to the Prime Minister, former Prime Minister and his family members. 

 SPG officials live like a shadow with the Prime Minister. 

 Wherever the Prime Minister goes, the SPG along with the local administration provides him security.

 Until recent months, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also had SPG protection, but the Modi government has now withdrawn it. 

 The Congress has accused the BJP of retaliating.

 After withdrawing the SPG security of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, they have been given Z-plus category security.