Delhi Police creates SSG for the Gandhis,

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

special report

Delhi Police creates SSG for the Gandhis,

CRPF protects 50 plus VIPs now

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Jan. 14

The Delhi Police is understood to have created a special wing nick-named as “SSG” for the protection & security of the members of the Gandhi family. If sources are to be believed, the SSG has been created under an officer of the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) rank who will coordinate with the CRPF security wing. The Special Security Group (SSG) has effectively replaced the Special Protection Group (SPG) which used to provide security cover to members of the Gandhi family and also to the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

The new arrangement has finally taken shape with the SSG incharge of the security in close coordination with the VIP security wing of the CRPF. The CRPF will provide the immediate security cover to the Gandhis and Priyanka Vadra and her children and the Delhi Police will give peripherial security cover. The CRPF's Inspector General (Intelligence and VIP security) P K Singh, has devised a very stringent security protocols not only for the members of the Gandhi family but also other high-profile VIPs figuring in the list of protectees.

In fact, most of the facilities including the vehicles and technical equipment etc are being provided to the CRPF's VIP security wing which were with the SPG. The CRPF guards more than 60 VIPs including the Gandhis across the country with the aid and assistance of local police. There are 15 in the Z+ category, 21 under Z and remaining in various other categories. It has communicated fresh instructions for the security of these VIPs to all the states and Union Territories so they can provide the necessary intelligence and police support when the VIPs visit them.

The sources said the the Union Home Ministry continues to view security threat to the Gandhis “very high” and chalked out improved protocol. The Gandhis’ security would continue to include an Advance Security Liaison (ASL) and Special Armoured Vehicles (SAV) — hallmarks of SPG cover. Now that the National Security Guards (NSG) is being convetred completely into a Counter terrorist operations, it will no more look after personal security cover for any indivisual in the country. All Black-cat commandos have been withdrawn from the secyurity duties.

In fact, the Gandhis will get the same security set up provided to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. It may be mentioned that the threat to the life of Amit Shah has gone up in the recent past particularly after the abrogation of Article 370.

Secondly, the CRPF's VIP security will be given the same training which is being provided to the SPG personnel. On November 8, the Centre had withdrawn the Gandhis’ SPG cover saying that the force was created to protect the sitting PM & his family.

Dr Manmohan Singh was a “Lateral entrant” in 1972, says Govt.

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Dr Manmohan Singh was a “Lateral entrant” in 1972, says Govt.

"We are following a better policy” asserts PMO

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, July 4

The government showed the mirror to the Opposition parties on the question of “lateral entrants” in the bureaucracy directly saying previous governments appointed as many as 20 persons directly. Giving out details, the government said even Dr Manmohan Singh was brought in 47 years ago in 1972 as Chief Economic Adviser and made Finance Secretary in 1976.

As if this was not enough, the government today riggled out details of many such lateral entrants including Montek Singh Ahluwalia who was appointed as Economic Adviser in 1979, Vijay L. Kelkar as Secretary in Petroleum ministry in 1994 and later Finance Secretary in 1998 and Bimal Jalan as Finance Secretary in 1991. Dr. Shankar Acharya was appointed as Chief Economic Advisor in 1993 and Rakesh Mohan as Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs in 2004 and Arvind Virmani as Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance, in the year 2007. Shri Ram Vinay Shahi was appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Power in 2002.

The government responded when the issue was raised by the Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha questioning the rational behind the move to bring 40 lateral entrants in one go without any norms etc.

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was present when the issue was raised. But he fielded his junior Dr Jitendra Singh, MoS in the PMO who strongly defended it saying such practice existed for decades together and the Modi government had inducted only six or seven persons.

Dr Singh made it clear that while no norms were followed earlier in bringing the lateral entrants, the Modi government wants to bring in the best of the talent from whichever source available and to augment the availability of the personnel. “We have only streamlined the process” he added.

He said the earlier governments did it with the best of the intentions. “Now, this has to be further streamlined because we gain by experience and also learn to improve with the passage of time.” The process was conducted through Union Public Service Commission and for ten posts of Joint Secretary, more than 6000 applications came.

Manas Ranjan Bhutia and D Raja questioned the Modi government's move to hire directly at the level of Deputy secretary and above through NITI Aayog and UPSC.

Bajwa ready to quit RS for Manmohan Singh

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Bajwa ready to quit RS for Manmohan Singh

Option open to Contest Amritsar LS seat

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 25

The search of a Rajya Sabha seat for former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has ended with sitting Congress RS MP from Punjab Pratap Singh Bajwa ready to vacate his seat for him.

Since Dr Singh is retiring in June after a long stint in Rajya Sabha from Assam, the party was struggling to find a seat for him. The problem was compounded as no biennial RS polls due in 2019 except for two seats in Assam in June and six seats in Tamil Nadu in July. Given the composition of two state assemblies, the Congress cannot win any seat in Assam on its own. The Congress and AIUDF together have 38 votes in the Assam assembly of 126 while the party would need 63 votes to win one RS seat. Therefore, Dr Singh cannot win from Assam.

In Tamil Nadu, the DMK can win only two seats on its own and it has only 10 surplus votes while the Congress has only 8 MLAs in the state Assembly. The DMK expressed its inability to spare one RS seat for Dr Singh as it has to bring back Kanimnozhi, daughter of late M Karunanidhi. Second seat has already been committed to D Raja of the CPI who is also DMK's key ally.

A desperate Congress asked senior party leader Ms Ambica Soni if she could quit her seat from Punjab and contest for the Lok Sabha polls. But she was reluctant citing her age and wants to live peacefully now.

It now transpires that Pratap Singh Bajwa offered to quit and make room for Dr Manmohan Singh. Bajwa is ready to contest in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

It is also now emerging from sources in the Punjab Congress that Dr Manmohan Singh himself may contest from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat. Since the political situation in Punjab is very conducive for the Congress, a section in the party is keen that Dr Singh should give a try and contest from Amritsar. Dr Singh did contest once for Lok Sabha from South Delhi Lok Sabha seat. But he lost to the BJP.

It is not immediately known whether Dr Singh is desirous to contest or given his consent to the suggestions. But he has certainly conveyed to the party that he would like to remain active as a parliamentarian.

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Top Opposition leaders to attend swearing-in-ceremonies tomorrow

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Top Opposition leaders to attend swearing-in-ceremonies tomorrow

AAP to join the G-21 celebrations 

Rahul, Manmohan Singh, Sharad Pawar, Naidu, Kumaraswamy, Stalin to attend

Sonia to skip, Mayawati to send representative to Bhopal only  

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Dec. 16

The swearing-in-ceremonies of three Congress Chief Ministers at Jaipur, Bhopal & Raipur tomorrow will herald a new era in Opposition unity when leaders of G-21 parties will travel to all three destinations. The G-21 is nick-named as the group of 21 Opposition parties who have come together to dislodge the NDA from the centre in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. Significantly, the untouchable Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been formally invited by the Congress to witness the swearing-in-ceremonies. Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and JD (S) leader and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy along with his father H D Deve Gowda will attend the swearing-in-ceremony at all the three places.

As per plans, Ashok Gehlot will take oath of office tomorrow at 10.30 at Jaipur while Kamal Nath will be sworn in at 1.30 pm at Bhopal. Bhupesh Baghel will take oath at Raipur at 4.30 or 5 pm. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with many opposition leaders including Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel, CPM's Sitaram Yechury, D Raja of CPI and others will fly in a chartered aircraft to all three destinations. Mayawati of BSP has expressed her inability to witness any swearing-in-ceremony. Following her was SP's Akhilesh Singh Yadav who will stay put in Lucknow. But both the parties will send their representatives to Bhopal where they have extended unconditional support.

Sonia Gandhi will not attend any of the swearing-in-ceremonies either due to health reasons. But M K Stalin of the DMK will join the events. All Congress Chief Ministers including Capt Amrinder Singh and other leaders will also be in toe there.

The Congress wants to show case the swearing-in- ceremonies as the victory of the Opposition parties and trying hard that BSP and SP should join the governments. 

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