PM Modi avoids hotels, stays at airports in foreign transit: Amit Shah

New Delhi, Nov 28: While countering the Congress over SPG bill, Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi opts to rest and take a bath at airport terminals rather staying in luxury hotels overnight.

Amit Shah hailed PM Modi for never flouting the security blue book in the last 20 years.

"In his personal and public life, Modi has followed a very disciplined regimen. For instance, whenever Modi goes on state visit or abroad, he takes less than 20 per cent staff with him," Shah was quoted saying by IANS.

"Similarly for the official delegation, he has discouraged using a large number of cars. Earlier officials were using separate cars... now they use a bus or a large vehicle," he added.

Replying to the debate on the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Shah attacked the Gandhi family for misusing the security cover of Special Protection Group.

"For some, security cover has been a status symbol. For some, security has become a trivial issue where norms are violated at will. But let's follow the example of Modiji who adheres to the security norms and protocols," the Home Minister said.

Rejecting Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi claim that PM Modi violated the SPG protection in 2017 during a seaplane ride in Gujarat, Shah said "the seaplane was thoroughly checked and cleared by the SPG and SPG personnel were deployed inside the seaplane. Besides. the objective of the ride was to promote tourism in Gujarat. It was not a personal fun ride."

The Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, passed in the Lok Sabha, seeks to provide elite security only to the prime minister and members, kins if they live with him at his official residence.

The move comes days after the government withdrew the SPG security cover provided to members of the Gandhi family Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her children Rahul and Priyanka.