The Hassan District Congress Committee has urged the State and Union governments to withdraw the special security being provided to family members of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda under the Special Protection Group Act 1988. Mr. Deve Gowda’s four sons and two daughters had been enjoying the police security and government vehicles under the Act.
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, district Congress Committee president B. Shivaram said, in special cases, the former Prime Ministers and their family members were provided security for 10 years after the end of term of respective Prime Minister. The family members could be provided with such facilities only if they were all residing in one place together. “In the case of Mr. Deve Gowda and his family members, protection is being provided to four houses at Bengaluru. Besides, this special provision should have ended in 2007, as per the Act, as the 10-year period fixed for providing security for former Prime Ministers expired in 2007,” he said. G. Devaraje Gowda, chairman of the party’s District Kisan Cell, has submitted an appeal to the Governor in this regard and a copy has been forwarded to the Chief Minister as well. Mr. Devaraje Gowda said, the State government had spent more than Rs. 30 crore towards the salary of the policemen posted for the security of the family members of Mr. Deve Gowda and fuel and maintenance of the vehicles provided for them.
“I have sought the details of expenses incurred by the State government for providing them security under the Right to Information Act from the Union government,” he said.
District Kisan Cell of the Congress has sent an appeal to this effect to Governor