The freshly elected Narendra Modi-led NDA government has taken some tough decisions regarding the security provided to certain VIPs, official sources said on Tuesday.
The information suggests that the Centre will go ahead with a major “shift and overhaul” with the new ministers taking charge and the task of guarding over a dozen high-risk persons by the NSG and the ITBP being transferred to other paramilitary forces.
A review of this important wing under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is expected to be undertaken soon and the covers extended to various political figures and candidates, ex-ministers, retired bureaucrats and some others will be either withdrawn, scaled down, or upgraded,” said the sources while talking to the news agency PTI.
In a recent development, the much-anticipated plan to fully withdraw the NSG’s ‘black cat’ commandos from VIP security roles is set to be executed. Consequently, all nine Z-plus category individuals currently under their protection will be transferred to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) VIP security unit. Additionally, it is reported that certain VIPs currently guarded by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel might also be shifted to the CRPF or to the CISF’s VIP security division, known as the Special Security Group (SSG).
Individuals under the close protection of the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his predecessor and BSP leader Mayawati, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former Deputy Prime Minister and veteran BJP leader LK Advani, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh.
Additionally, NSG commandos also provide protection to Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir; Farooq Abdullah, President of the National Conference; and N Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) provides protection to veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti, among others.
PTI had reported in January 2020 that after the removal of the SPG from the Gandhi family, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a committee of the MHA had decided to withdraw NSG from VIP security tasks.
The strategy to withdraw the National Security Guard (NSG) from VIP security duties has been under consideration since 2012. This is due to NSG commanders anticipating a scenario where simultaneous terrorist attacks could occur at various locations across the country, necessitating the rapid deployment of commandos in multiple directions
