VIP tantrums at airports puts off CISF

VIP tantrums at airports puts off CISF
ATIR KHAN

NEW DELHI, SEPT 19: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has identified a major hurdle in maintaining security at the 19 airports across the country -- the VIPs. It has been in constant touch with the Union Ministry of Home on this issue and a special report was recently submitted to the ministry and the Bureau of Civil Aviation of Security (BCAS).

The CISF officials are saying they have had enough. In the course of discharging their duties to maintain security at the airports, they have faced threats of being implicated in criminal cases and even received blows and kicks from the VIPs and their staff, who consider flouting rules their privilege and resent any move to make them fall in line.

On the ground of protocol, the BCAS allows the vehicles of the following persons access to the aircraft: President and his wife, Vice-President, Prime Minister, visiting heads of states, visiting heads of government, former Presidents of India, governors (within their states), Lok Sabha Speaker, Chief Justice and ambassadors/high commissioners on their first arrival and final departure.

For ministers and other dignitaries from abroad, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) provides a vehicle for ferrying them to and from the aircraft up to the VIP reception/terminal. There the protocol division of the Ministry of External Affairs takes over. In case the sanitised vehicles of the AAI are found to be inadequate, special arrangements can be made by the AAI in consultation with the MEA.

Though the rules are clearly laid down and exceptions mentioned, the VIPs do not care. For instance, on April 4, MP Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and the Chief Secretary landed at Bhopal airport. The Chief Secretary's PS, Amar Singh, sources say, wanted to take the car to the aircraft to receive his boss. When the CISF officials stopped him at the gate, he is alleged to have threatened that he would get them implicated in a case by the local police. This led to a heated argument between the government officials and the CISF officials.

After the incident, Principal Secretary (Home), Additional DG (Intelligence), Joint Director (IB) and senior managers of AAI held a meeting to resolve the matter.

On May 7, according to the CISF sources, ADM Jaipur B L Jatavat and Chief Protocol Officer G R Badhu went to receive Union Minister Shanta Kumar at the Jaipur airport. Additional Commissioner (Food) J P Chandelia also landed up at the airport but was stopped by Inspector V K Mathur of the CISF.

When Mathur asked Chandelia to show his identity card, he said his subordinate, J S Yadav, would tell him who he was. When the security official asked Yadav, he said he did not know anything and himself tried to enter the VIP area. This led to an argument. Later, a criminal case was registered against Mathur at the Sangnar police station.

Similarly, on July 9 the Bihar Education Minister went to Ranchi airport with a convoy of four cars which tried to enter the restricted area. When the CISF officials tried to stop them, they were simply ignored and all the cars went in.

What is being cited as an instance of fallout of such incidents is the beating up of the Deputy Commandant of CISF, U S Pradhan, at Guwahati about a fortnight back. He was going in a car with his driver when the vehicle was stopped by some men. They beat him up so badly that he had to be hospitalised.

And these are just a few instances in the ``incident report'' prepared by the CISF which wants to do its job without facing this resistance and even assault.

Exempted for security

The following people protected by the SPG are allowed to drive up to the aircraft: V P Singh, Chandrasekhar, P V Narasimha Rao, H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujral, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi

On the ground of security the following VIPs are allowed to go to the aircraft in AAI vehicles: J Jayalalitha, M S Bitta, Farooq Abdullah, Bhajan Lal, Parkash Singh Badal, Reishang Keishing, P K Mahanta, S C Jamir, Maqbool Dar, Jyoti Basu and M Karunanidhi.