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Amit Shah, Gandhi family, Manmohan Singh to get security cover of women commandos

Amit Shah, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Manmohan Singh are all Z-plus protectees of the CRPF. This is the first time the CRPF is deploying women commandos for VIP security.

Home Minister Amit Shah, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the Gandhi family will now be protected by women commandos of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) apart from the male contingent provided to them for security. Shah, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Manmohan Singh are all Z-plus protectees of the CRPF. This is the first time the CRPF is deploying women commandos for VIP security.

“Our first batch of women commandos comprising 32 female combatants has completed its training in VIP security. They will be ready for deployment by January 15,” a senior CRPF officer said.

The development comes at a time when the Congress, led by Priyanka Gandhi, is going to Uttar Pradesh polls on the plank of women empowerment. “We are sure they will welcome the move,” the CRPF officer said.

Sources said given the small size of the contingent, these commandos will initially be deployed at the residence of the protectees.

“Since there are only 32 women commandos, each protectee will get only five or six women commandos. It will be difficult to deploy them for proximate security when there is movement given the small size of the contingent at this time. However, if required they can be attached to the women protectees during election rallies,” the officer said.

He added that the women commandos will be given proximate security duties in future as more women join the VIP security wing of the force.

This would, however, not be the first time that the Gandhis and Manmohan Singh would have protection of women commandos. Sources said when they enjoyed SPG protection, at that time, too, there was a small contingent of Special Protection Group (SPG) women commandos that provided residential security.

Gandhis and Singh were stripped of SPG security in November, 2019 following which they were provided Z-plus cover of the CRPF.

In 2012, the National Security Guard (NSG), which is the premier counter-terror force in the country that also provides VIP security, had similarly raised a 25-member female contingent for VIP security. They were deployed to provide security to BSP chief Mayawati and AIADMK chief J Jayalalitha.

However, the two politicians initially showed reluctance to be protected by a newly raised women contingent and preferred to continue with their existing security. Following media reports on the issue, however, they relented.

Meanwhile, sources said, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued orders to withdraw security provided to former West Bengal minister Rajib Banerjee. The two-time MLA had resigned from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in January just ahead of the Assembly elections in the state and joined the BJP. He was given central security following this. However, this October, Banerjee rejoined TMC.