Union home minister Amit Shah told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that the security breach at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s residence happened because the intruders came by a black Tata Safari, the same make and colour of vehicle in which Rahul Gandhi was expected.

The unusual explanation — hundreds of Tata Safaris can be seen on the roads, many of them black — came in the ministry’s reply to the debate on the SPG Amendment Bill, which has stripped the Nehru-Gandhi family of their SPG cover. The bill was passed shortly afterwards.

Shah insisted that the bill was not targeted at any one family and that the intrusion into Priyanka’s house within days of the SPG cover being lifted was only a “coincidence”. But he chided the Congress for informing Parliament and the media about the security breach.

“I want to say that if you are concerned about security, then communication of such incidents is confidential and with security agencies. It should not be publicised in press and the House,” Shah said. “If you want to do politics then you can tell the press and also tell the House. You could have written a letter to the DG, CRPF, their security in-charge, or to me,” Shah said.

Earlier, CPI MP Binoy Vishwam had alleged that the bill, which will restrict SPG security only to the Prime Minister, was political vendetta by the BJP government against the Nehru-Gandhi family because “the name Nehru frightens you”.

Shah replied: “Communists have no right to talk about political vendetta. You have killed 120 BJP workers in Kerala.’’ The Left MPs protested loudly.

Shah said those who breached the security at Priyanka’s residence were Congress workers who arrived in a black Tata Safari. Since the security personnel are under instruction to let Rahul Gandhi, Robert Vadra and other family members’ vehicles in without security screening, this vehicle was allowed in, he said.

“We have ordered an inquiry and also suspended three security personnel,’’ Shah said.

On the Congress demand that the Nehru-Gandhi family remain SPG protectees, Shah said he could not understand this insistence. “All three are under the protection of personnel trained by the SPG. They have been given the very same security cover provided to the President, the Vice-President, the defence minister and the home minister,” he said.

The Congress has been arguing that two members of the Nehru-Gandhi family — Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi — were assassinated and that the threat to the family remains high.

During the discussion, Congress MP B.K. Hariprasad said party president Sonia Gandhi faces a perennial threat from communal forces.

“Every third speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the home minister, they attack Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Don’t you think there is a threat perception there? We have seen lynching in this country…. Haren Pandya was killed in Gujarat. Same home minister was there,’’ he added.

Shah did not respond to this.