No proposal to withdraw NSG cover for VVIPs: Government

NEW DELHI: The government today said there is at present no proposal to withdraw the NSG cover for any of the VVIPs receiving its security even though the force has made a request in this regard.

Minister of State for Home, Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, said in a written reply in Lok Sabha that, "at present, this ministry does not propose to withdraw NSG cover" from the 15 protectees who are getting security from the force.

"NSG is providing mobile security cover to 15 protectees. It has requested that it may be relieved of the role of providing security to individuals in order to concentrate on its primary role as a counter-terrorism, hostage rescue and counter-hijacking (force)," the minister said.

VVIPs under NSG's security cover include Home Minister Rajnath Singh, chief ministers like Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh, Akhilesh Yadav of Uttar Pradesh and Tarun Gogoi of Assam and political leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad and Mayawati.