Rahul Gandhi should renounce his SPG security: EAM

Guwahati: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj hit out at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his statement that terrorism was not an issue and asked that if that was the case he should renounce his SPG security cover.

Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that job is an issue not terrorism to which Sushma Swaraj said, "I want to tell Rahul Gandhi ji that why he goes around with SPG security if terrorism is not an issue and there is no terrorism in the country?"

She said that from the period of assassination of Rajiv Gandhi till date all the family is under the security cover of SPG adding, "If you feel that terrorism is not an issue then I want to tell you to give a written statement that you do not need SPG security because you feel there is no terrorism in this country and that you are not afraid of anybody."

Swaraj, while participated in an election meeting at Hyderabad, referred to the air strikes on terror camps in Balakot following the Pulwama attack and said that the opposition parties who don't have faith in the Prime Minister were taking his Pakistan counterparts statements for granted.

She further said that the air strikes carried out by the India Air Force received international support and she received calls from leaders of several countries appreciating India's stand on terrorism.

She also stated that the opposition parties in the country were taking exception to the BJP claiming credit for the air strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammad in February.

The external affairs minister further stated that the UPA government should have taken strong action against Pakistan much before. They should have taken the action after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 166 people including 40 foreign nationals were killed.

Swaraj also said that the NDA government's main poll plank will be on three important issues- security, development and welfare adding that as many as 1.16 lakh villages have been connected with fibre optic network. There were only 77 passport centres in the country which has gone up to 505 and in Telangana there were just four and it has gone up to 19.

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