he wife of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who inexplicably doesn’t live with him has asked the government to explain her official rights as the spouse of the Indian leader and also said she feared for her life, according to local reports on Monday.
The reports said Ms Jashodaben on Monday filed an RTI application with Mehsana police in Gujarat to seek details of the security cover given to her at present and what she is entitled to.
Press Trust of India said that in her application Ms Jashodaben expressed unhappiness about the current protection set-up, where her guards travel in government cars, while, despite being a PM’s wife, she has to travel in public transport.
She was quoted as saying also that just like former prime minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her own bodyguards she felt scared of her guards. She asked the government to make it mandatory for each guard to produce copy of deployment order.
Ms Jashodaben, who has been previously described as a junior school teacher asked the government to explain the definition and details of protocol she was entitled to.
Mehsana superintendent of police J.R. Mothalia has been quoted as saying that Ms Jashodaben wanted to know what her rights as Mr Modi’s wife were as far as the security aspect was concerned.
“Today, she came to our office and filed an RTI to know about her rights as PM’s wife with regard to security cover. We will give our written reply to her in stipulated time,” said SP Mothalia.
Ms Jashodaben lives with her brother Ashok Modi in Unjha town of Mehsana district. After Mr Modi was sworn in as prime minister, she was given security by the Mehasana police.
“We have deployed ten of our policemen, including armed guards, for her security. They work in two shifts, five each in one shift,” PTI quoted police inspector of Mehsana Special Operations Group J.S. Chavda as saying.
In her application, Ms Jashodaben sought several documents from the police department related to her security cover and details of the protocol it derives power from. She also asked for a certified copy of the actual order passed by the government about providing security.
She also wanted to know the laws and related provisions in the Indian Constitution about security cover given to a prime minister’s wife.
The standard drill by a parliamentary act requires the immediate family of the prime minister and former prime ministers to be given top grade Special Protection Group cover, a service given by law to protect Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and her children.