New Delhi, Nov 8 (TIWN) Withdrawal of SPG cover to the Gandhi family has made the Congress angry, with the party alleging the Gandhis are being targeted by the Prime Minister and Home Minister. The Congress, which has termed the move as "sinister and vindictive politics", may take legal recourse in the matter, said sources.

Party leader Randeep Surjewala said, "We will see what we can do on this".

The Congress has made it clear that there was a rumour a month ago about the SPG security to be withdrawn. Taking cognizance of it, former prime minister Manmohan Singh had written to Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on November 4.

In the letter, the former PM alleged that "the consistent pattern of leakage of sensitive security-related information regarding these SPG protectees to the media, including daily press and television media, is a direct breach of security from within the Government."

The letter also cited the Justice J.S. Verma report of 1992 in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case that found that apparent security lapses led to the killing of the former Prime Minister.

The party intends to use the Verma report to make a strong case against withdrawal of SPG cover.

The J.S. Verma report says: "Failure of the IB to fully and properly calibrate this threat, foresee the attack made and disseminate the information with the requisite further guidelines and instruction to the state agencies, was a lapse of the IB and the MHA amounting to the contributory factors."