Chennai: Slamming the elite Special Protection Group for the “outrageous incident” of preventing Tamil Nadu DGP from receiving Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to the state on Friday, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has demanded “appropriate action” against those responsible for the incident.
In a letter dated August 3 to Singh, which was released by the state government today, Jayalalithaa said the incident shows SPG in “very poor light.”
She said when DGP K Ramanujam was walking towards the ladder point of PM’s aircraft, “he was rudely accosted and prevented from approaching the aircraft by a lower level officer of the SPG, who was part of the security team on duty.”
Ramanujam was among a team including Finance Minister O Panneerselvam and Chief Secretary Sheela Balakrishnan deputed by her to receive Singh en route to his visit to Thirumayan in neighbouring Pudhukottai, Jayalalithaa said.
The Chief Minister said she had been informed that a detailed list of those who would receive the Prime Minister at ladder point, including the DGP, had been sent and was duly confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Office on August 1.
“That such an outrageous incident involving the state DGP who was part of the confirmed list of persons for the reception and send off line up approved by the Prime Minister’s Office shows up the officers of the SPG in very poor light.”
“It is most astonishing that the SPG could not recognise the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, the topmost ranking Police Officer in the State, even while he was in uniform,” she said.
She said it was the DGP who was responsible for the elaborate security arrangements to ensure a peaceful atmosphere during Prime Minister’s visit to Tamil Nadu.
“I am constrained to bring this incident to your notice so that you could have the matter inquired into and take appropriate action against those responsible. I also suggest that a suitable regimen be put in place so that such lapses in protocol do not recur in future,” Jayalalithaa said.
Prime Minister Singh had visited Thirumayam on Friday to launch PSU BHEL’s two projects. He had flown by helicopter from Tircuhirappally airport.
An inquiry had been ordered into the incident already with state Protocol officer Anu George being asked to file a report.
The SPG official, who prevented the DGP from entering the VVIP area, has also been asked to explain why the state’s top police official was prevented from coming into the airport.
Senior SPG officials, had however, apologised to Ramanujam, who had returned to the VIP room on being denied entry, and persuaded him to go to welcome Singh though the Prime Minister had left to Thirumayam by then. (PTI)