Sonia Gandhi thanks SPG for its service

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi termed the Special Protection Group (SPG) an "outstanding" force, and thanked it on Saturday for protecting her and her family with dedication for 28 years.

In a letter to SPG Director Arun Kumar Sinha, Gandhi expressed her deep appreciation and gratitude to the force for protecting her and her family with "dedication, discretion and personal care".

The elite SPG security cover given to Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka was withdrawn on Friday, 28 years after the elite force's continuous deployment, and it was replaced by the 'Z-plus' security of the CRPF.

"Ever since our security was put in the hands of the SPG, my family and I have felt a great sense of reassurance and confidence that we are in the best possible hands. Every day, for the last 28 years, we have experienced the unfailing high professionalism, dedication to duty and sincerity with which the SPG protect us," she said in her letter.

The Congress chief said the SPG is an outstanding force and its members imbued with courage and patriotism in every task assigned to them.