Under the scanner after four from their ranks allegedly raped a college student in a New Delhi park, the President’s Body Guards (PBG), the elite Army unit reserved for ceremonial duties, is in for some tough call of duty: counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East. So far cushioned from active duty, the entire PBG — it has four officers, 14 JCOs and 161 other ranks — is being prepared for assignments away from Rashtrapati Bhavan. A senior official confirmed that ‘‘a shift in the role of the PBG is being worked out.’’ He said the the men would be taking part in military training and exercises more regularly than they did until now. ‘‘They haven’t participated in any military action after the late 80s when some detachments served in Siachen and were part of the UN Force in Somalia and Angola,’’ the official said. Army chief General N C Vij has suggested that a platoon strength from the PBG should be sent, by rotation, for CI Ops (counter-insurgency operations). Incidentally, a similar proposal — to send PBG men for active combat duty — was moved in the late 80s by the then Army chief General V N Sharma. But it gathered dust after someone pointed out that ceremonial duties at Rashtrapati Bhavan would suffer. But this time the Army seems to be determined to see the PBG in active duty areas. While some in the PBG are on deputation from cavalry units, others are direct recruits who remain with the regiment until retirement. An Army spokesman confirmed that a process was on to give PBG ‘‘a wider exposure’’ by sending them on counter-insurgency duty. Since the PBG was a small specialised force, ways were being worked out to ensure that ceremonial work did not suffer, he said.
