Should Jashodaben be given special protection?
Should Jashodaben be given special protection?
Introduction
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben was denied information regarding protection order's copy by Mehsana police. She filed an application against Mehsana police under RTI Act for not providing information on the securities accorded to her. She wants the government to explain the definition of protocols and the benefits which she was entitled to get as the wife of Prime Minister. Jashodaben came in limelight when Modi mentioned her name as his wife in the affidavit filed for Lok Sabha elections, 2014. Now that Naredra Modi is about to move from Gujarat to Delhi, his wife will continue to stay in Ishwarwada with her two brothers. The question is raised whether she should get special protection or not?
Yes, she should be granted special protection:
1. Jashodaben should get special protection as she is wife of the country’s honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi. According to the laws, she is entitled to all such benefits which a Prime Minister's family deserves to have complete access to.
2. Talking about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination by her own guards, she feels the need of special protection being a wife of Prime Minister and also expressed her fear from the escorts. So she applied for access to the details regarding her security under Right to Information (RTI) Act.
3. Narendra Modi is preparing to move from Gujarat to Delhi and his wife Jashodaben will continue her livelihood in a small village of Gujarat which might be not be as safe for her. So it is mandatory that special care should be taken regarding her security.
4. The Special Protection Group (SPG) Act clearly states that the immediate family members of Prime Minister should have to be provided special security. This section is also applicable to jashodaben for the country now knows of her to be the legal wife of PM Narendra Modi.
5. Under RTI Act she has the right to know the protection granted to her. She filed an application to know her entitlements but was refused by Mehsana police. Being the wife of PM she is entitled to all such benefits and there is absolutely no point in refusing her demands regarding the same.
No, she is not entitled for special protection:
1. Modi and Jashodaben were married when they were mere teenagers. At the time of marriage they both were minor and soon after they parted ways. Granting special protection to her would be like justifying child marriage. Their positions are different and they never ever shared the same roof.
2. Providing special protection to Jashodaben like same security cover as PM would be nothing but wastage of resources and manpower which can be utilized in useful ways for development of nation. India needs protection forces for the public equally and not just for the ministers and their ex-family members.
3. She should have in the first place refused the unnecessary and unwanted securities assigned to her as in the SPG act it is given that a protectee may refuse security cover. She already has been saying that she feels afraid of the escorts following her.
4. The salaries and allowance of Prime Minister act, 1952 says that Minister's wife is entitled to all such benefits regarding allowance or security, provided that she is resided with PM an is wholly dependent on him. Neither of these applies on Jashodaben.
5. Now that she is getting good security, she feels the need of more and active securities. Later on she might want government vehicles to travel as she has preciously mentioned that her guards use government vehicle and she has to travel in public vehicles.
Conclusion:
The SPG Act provides for 'proximate security' to the Prime Minister and his present families. Jashodaben should get special protection being wife of the PM. She must be aware of all her entitlements and be given special security. The police has deployed ten security personnels including armed security. They work in two shifts, five each in one shift. Thus, she is 100% entitled for Special Security Group' covers. However, there is no point in denying her the information she has constantly been asking for under RTI.
Discussion
- RE: Should Jashodaben be given special protection? -Deepa Kaushik (01/06/15)
- Jashodaben, wife of honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is already under security protection with escorts assigned for her round the clock. All that she wants now is to know the information regarding her rights. This information should be ideally provided to her, as to whatever she is entitled to. Any citizen of the country cannot be denied to understand his / her rights, and so is Jashodaben who should be made aware of her rights.
Coming on to the topic as to whether Jashodaben should be given special protection, we need to study this subject under different views. It is understandable that the salaries and allowance of Prime Minister Act, 1952 doesn’t allow the status to Jashodaben provided she is residing away from her husband and has parted away long back, without any communication between the two. Still we need to consider the situation of the country in present day and the security status of a woman in the country.
Though both got separated long back, still there could be any form of threat to her life as she is now publicly known figure as Prime Minister’s wife. The other way round, any threat to her life could prove to be an emotional set-back to the Prime Minister which could obstruct his proceedings in the governance. Hence, it would be all good if we can provide Jashodaben with appropriate security.
