Explained: Who Gets VIP Security In India And Who Pays For It

The Haryana government has granted Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim with Z plus level protection. Ram Rahim is serving a 20-year term for raping two women and was released on furlough days before the Punjab elections on February 20.

In addition, until the end of the current elections, the Centre granted central security cover to 25 BJP lawmakers from UP and Punjab. SPS Baghel, the BJP candidate from Karhal constituency in Mainpuri, UP, who is running against Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, and other Congress turncoats in Punjab are among the benefactors.

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Following the West Bengal Assembly elections, the Centre had already offered central security cover to all 77 BJP MLAs in the state, citing reports of political violence.

Who gets the VIP security?

Protection is usually offered to someone who holds a high-ranking position in the government or in civil society, hence the term "VIP security."

However, while the Centre is rarely interested in providing protection to individuals, state police forces provide security to a vast number of even "important people" whose lives are believed to be in danger, based on evaluations made by the state government.

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In the case of Ram Rahim, a rape convict, there is no legal limit to the government giving security to a criminal if his life is believed to be in danger. In truth, it is the state's responsibility to safeguard the lives of inmates and convicts.

Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, on the other hand, recently stated that he was unaware of any threat against Ram Rahim. The Dera chief was given security after a senior Haryana police officer informed him that he was facing a high-level threat from extreme Sikh fanatics both in India and abroad. Ram Rahim was then given protection by Chief Minister M L Khattar.

Who determines the level of security protection an individual requires?

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) determines the level of security at the federal level, while the state government determines the level of security at the state level.

The evaluation is based on information from intelligence agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing at the federal level, and the state intelligence department at the state level.

Based on information obtained from various sources, agencies provide a wide subjective assessment of the threat to a person's life or injury posed by terrorists or any other group. Intercepted phone conversations, human intelligence, or a credible analysis of an open threat are all examples of this type of information.

Certain individuals are automatically eligible for security coverage because of their official jobs. The Prime Minister and his immediate family are among them. The Home Minister, as well as officials such as the National Security Advisor, are usually protected.

What are the different degrees of security?

Security cover is divided into six categories: X, Y, Y plus, Z, Z plus, and SPG (Special Protection Group). While the SPG is reserved for the Prime Minister and his immediate family, other protection categories can be extended to anyone with information about a threat from the Centre or state governments.

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One gunman protects an individual in an X category security situation; Y has one gunman for mobile security and one (plus four on rotation) for static security; Y plus has two policemen (plus four on rotation) for mobile security and one (plus four on rotation) for home protection. Z has six mobile security officers and two (plus eight) resident security officers; Z plus has ten mobile security officers and two (plus eight) home security officers.

There are varying levels of cover even within these categories. Home security, mobile security, office security, and inter-state security are all examples of these.

Depending on the threat level, different types of security cover are provided to different VIPs. For example, if the Maoist threat to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh is confined in his state, the Centre may choose to give him only house and mobile security in his state. When he travels out, the concerned state police may provide him with adequate security.

Similarly, certain people may face a threat only when they travel, thus an escort force is sent to them.

Various troops may also be enlisted for residential and mobile protection. Many protectees have their homes secured by state police, but their mobile security is provided by a Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

Who pays for VIP security and which forces are involved in it?

The National Security Guard (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) have been designated by the government to provide security cover for VIPs other than the Prime Minister. If a state agrees to provide security, the state police will offer security.

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The Centre has aimed to relieve the NSG, which provides the most sought-after cover, of the burden of VIP protection throughout the years. The NSG's primary mission, according to some, is counter-terrorism operations, not VIP security. As a result, Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval have been assigned to the CRPF and the CISF, respectively.

The state bears the cost of everyone to whom the government offers security following an evaluation by intelligence agencies. Those with Z and Z plus security, who have a large number of personnel at their home and as part of their mobile protection, must occasionally figure in housing for these personnel.

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