Move Afoot To Get NSG Commandos Away From VVIP Duty

Black cat commandos will no longer guard VVIPs? PM Modi has decided to completely overhaul the VIP security setup in the coming months, leading to the transfer of security duties for over a dozen high-risk individuals from the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to other paramilitary forces. This exercise will cover political figures, ex-ministers, retired bureaucrats, and others. The strategy to withdraw black cats 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. The plan to relieve NSG from VIP security tasks has been in the making since 2012 when NSG commanders foresaw an event where simultaneous terror attacks could be witnessed at one time on multiple centres in the country, and the commandos would have to be rushed in different directions. In January 2020, after the removal of the SPG cover for the Gandhi family, a committee of the MHA decided to withdraw NSG from VIP security tasks. The initiative was taken after the CRPF, which was assigned to Parliament security duty, was withdrawn after the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) took over the responsibility of providing overall security in Parliament. Once the CRPF takes over the VIP security, the NSG will be assigned solely with its commitment to combat terror activities. Home Minister Amit Shah has asked the officials to work on the idea of making NSG free from VIP duty. The SPG, formed in 1985, after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, exclusively guards the PM and his immediate family.