A major “shift and overhaul” is expected in the VIP security setup of the Union government with the induction of new ministers, leading to transfer of the task of guarding of over a dozen high-risk persons from the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to other paramilitary forces.

A report by PTI quoted sources as saying that the Ministry of Home Affairs will soon review the current list of allottees, which may lead to the modification or upgradation, reduction, extension, withdrawal of security cover to several political figures, ex-ministers, retired bureaucrats among others.

Withdrawal of NSG ‘black cat’ commandos

The long-awaited proposal of complete withdrawal of NSG ‘black cat’ commandos from VIP security duties will also be implemented now, the report quoted sources as saying.

All it nine Z-plus category protectees will be transferred to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) VIP security unit.

Some VIPs who are currently under the protection of ITBP personnel may be reassigned to either the CRPF or the VIP security wing of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), also know as the special security group (SSG).

Withdrawal of the NSG from VIP security, once done, will happen after over two decades that the ‘black cat’ commandos were drafted in this duty, a task not originally charted for it when the force was conceptualised and raised in 1984.

Around 450 ‘black cat’ commandos are expected to be freed once NSG is withdrawn from VIP security duties, the sources said.

VIPs protected by NSG

The individuals guarded by the close protection of the NSG commandos include:

1 – Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister

2 – Mayawati, BSP chief and ex-CM of Uttar Pradesh

3 – Rajnath Singh, Union Defence Minister

4 – LK Advani, veteran BJP leader and former deputy prime minister

5 – Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Shipping Minister

6 – Raman Singh, BJP leader and ex-CM of Chhattisgarh

7 – Ghulam Nabi Azad, ex-CM of Jammu and Kashmir and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) president

8 – Farooq Abdullah, National Conference (NC) president

9 – N Chandrababu Naidu, TDP chief

Which VIPs are protected by ITBP

The persons currently protected by ITBP include:

1 – Murli Manohar Joshi, BJP leader

2 – Omar Abdullah, NC leader

3 – Mehbooba Mufti, PDP leader

Why NSG being removed from VIP security

According to PTI report, the plan to relieve NSG from the task of providing security to VIPs has been under consideration since 2012, prompted by concerns that simultaneous terror attacks in multiple locations in the country could overextend the NSG’s capabilities, necessitating the rapid deployment of their commandos different directions.

The Union government “is of the view” that the NSG should concentrate on its original charter of handling specific tasks of counter-terrorist and counter-hijack operations and that the task of securing high-risk VIPs was proving to be a “burden” on its limited and specialist capabilities.

At present, the CRPF and the CISF VIP security wings provide protection to more than 200 individuals.

The CRPF is tasked to protect Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Gandhi family apart from others, the CISF protects National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and others protectees.

With inputs from PTI

Link to article – 

Modi 3.0 to restructure VIP security setup, may withdraw NSG, ITBP