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Government abandons decision to withdraw NSG cover to 30 politicians

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

The government has shelved its decision to withdraw the elite National Security Guard from protecting over 30 VIPs, most of them politicians.

Authoritative sources said the politically irksome decision, taken in the wake of the hijack crisis, will now "be considered at a suitable time."

The government decided to withdraw the VIP security cover, after an assessment revealed that the elite NSG is being stretched beyond its duty frame by giving it such a taxing assignment.

According to NSG sources, over a thousand commandos provide security for political leaders like J Jayalalitha, Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav. NSG officers, had in a post-hijack note, told the home ministry how taxing it is to provide VIP security, for which its men are not trained.

According to reports, Home Minister L K Advani, at the beginning of the new year, told the NSG to withdraw its staff from VIP duties, except for three leaders -- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, Jayalalitha and Mulayam Singh.

Advani's order was meant to facilitate the deployment of NSG commandos as sky marshals on sensitive Air-India and Indian Airlines routes. Though the sky marshal system has begun operations, the withdrawal of NSG commandos from VIP duty has been abandoned, at least for the time being.

Presently, NSG commandos travel incognito on some AI and IA flights. According to sources, Air-India flights to the United Kingdom and the United States and IA flights to Colombo and Karachi are among the routes on which the commandos have been deployed.

The NSG was raised as a specialised force to execute crack, offensive and rescue operations. With the deployment of NSG commandos for VIP security, NSG officers have complained that it adversely affects the efficiency level of their cadres. "The NSG is supposed to be an offensive unit, ready to perform surprise attacks whenever needed. Protecting a VIP is primarily a defensive action, something the NSG is not supposed to do," a senior home ministry official said.

Though there have been several recommendations in the past from home ministry officials for withdrawal of the NSG from VIP duty, it has never been implemented. Politicians, cutting across party lines, ensure that it is not done.

After the government's post-hijack decision, political leaders including Mayawati and Mulayam Singh complained to the home ministry, protesting against the selective leak of decisions on NSG cover. Mayawati told Advani that her NSG cover should not be withdrawn.

Home ministry sources believe that if the "NSG is not taken off VIP duties now, it may not happen in the immediate future, unless a crisis like a hijack occurs. This is the best time to do that."

Sources close to Advani told rediff.com that, "There are several factors to be considered. It is a very, very sensitive issue."

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