Just before the lok Sabha polls, the UPA Government granted VIP security to nine people, including family members of an MoS. The decision could have gone unnoticed like a routine exercise, but there was more to it than meets the eye. Then Minister in the PMO V Narayanasamy and three of his family members were among the nine protectees. The elaborate security cover is provided by the CRPF.
Altogether 19 people were granted the VIP security cover by the Manmohan Singh regime till the start of the election this year. In 2012, only eight VIPs were within the ambit of the CRPF cover, but the list grew five-fold as 39 protectees are now placed under the security umbrella of the paramilitary force.
Those accorded cover by the CRPF in the run up to the polls include Z category security for Narayanasamy, Y category protection for his son Sundaram, daughter in-law Yamuna and daughter Dr Vijaya Kumari.
A host of other Congress leaders added this year in the VIP security list include Punjab PCC general secretary Harminder Singh Jassi (Z category with bulletproof car in Punjab), Bihar PCC president Ashok Chaudhary (Y category in Bihar), then Congress MP from Faridabad Avtar Singh Bhadana (Z category, and mobile security cover during his visit to/stay in Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, UP and Jammu & Kashmir), leader of Congress legislative Party of UP Pradeep Mathur (Y category) and Gujarat PCC president Arjunbhai Modhwadia (Z category in Gujarat). Former Cabinet Minister of UP Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi was given Y category protection this year.
Others granted VIP security cover this year include controversial IPS officer and Inspector General of CRPF Nalin Prabhat (Z category security cover all over India), former Union Home Minister Buta Singh (Z +), BSP MP Satish Chandra Mishra (Z + category in Uttar Pradesh), Mishra’s son Kapil (X category in UP), then Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Sachin Pilot (Z category across India), then BJP MP Syed Shahnawaz Hussain (Z category in Bihar) and BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy (Z category during his visits to Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand and other Naxal-infested areas of MP, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh).
While then Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam, who retired in April this year, has been given Z category cover, Chhattisgarh Governor Shekhar Dutt has been accorded Z + category.
Till 2013, the paramilitary was tasked with the security of 20 protectees including BJP leader Subramanian Swamy (since 1993), former DG KPS Gill (1993), RJD supremo lalu Prasad (2005) and DMK MlA MK Stalin (2005). In 2008, Chhattisgarh
Chief Minister Raman Singh and then assistant solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam were granted CRPF protection.
In 2012, only former MP Matang Singh was accorded VIP security cover by CRPF.
In 2013, as many as 12 people, including private citizens Mukesh Ambani of RIl and Cobrapost editor Aniruddha Bahal, were covered in the VIP security list. Others accorded VIP protection last year include former MP and industrialist Naveen Jindal, former Rajya Sabha member Maulana Mahmood Madani, Justices Sudhir Agarwal, SU Khan and DV Sharma of lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.
Others brought in the list last year include Mohammad Naieem of Amethi, Punjab MlA Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Punjab PCC vice chief Gurpreet Singh Kangar, former Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat and then lok Sabha member Raja Ram Pal.
With increasing number of VIP protectees in its kitty, the CRPF had earlier this year decided to end ad-hocism and sought permission from the Union Home Ministry to dedicate four battalions (220, 221, 224 and 225) for the specialised job. The Ministry accorded dedication of three battalions (3,000 personnel) for VIP security duties.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that is mandated to protect individuals and installations is providing security cover to about 50 VIPs. The CISF has also sought dedication of 4,000 personnel for VIP security duties. Presently, about 1,200 CISF personnel are engaged in such duties.
A number of VIPs prefer protection from the CRPF due to is wider exposure in anti-insurgency and counter-terror operations.