New Delhi, December 13
The Vajpayee government today decided to deploy armed securitymen inside Parliament House and undertake a thorough review of such high-profile potential terrorist targets as Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, PM’s House, North Block, South Block and buildings of strategic importance across the country.

The government also decided to deploy seven Army columns at important places in the city, well-placed sources said today. Following is the break-up of the Army columns to be deployed: Parliament House (two Army columns), PM’s residence (one), North Block and South Block (one) Sena Bhavan (one), residence of Mr L.K. Advani (one) and residence of Ms Sonia Gandhi (one). Each Army column has 70 to 90 troops.

The government's decisions regarding security in the wake of this morning’s terrorist attack on Parliament House were taken at a series of top-level meetings, including that of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

This will be for the first time in more than half a century of Parliamentary tradition in India when gun-toting securitymen would be swarming the Parliament corridors. Hitherto, the unarmed Watch and Ward Staff of Parliament House is entrusted with the task of Parliament security. The government would soon be requesting Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi to allow this path-breaking change of rules as the Speaker happens to be the administrative head of whatever happens inside Parliament House premises.

Today’s attack, which is reminiscent of the October 1 terrorist attack on J and K Assembly in Srinagar, once again raises questions on security of such potential terrorist targets as Parliament House.

Sources said the security of such national buildings as Parliament House will inevitably witness a sea change after today’s attack with more reliance on sophisticated security, surveillance and intelligence collection equipment.

According to security sources here, the role of Watch and Ward staff which has traditionally been responsible for security of the innermost ring of Parliament House for half a century is likely to come under close scrutiny. The authorities will be under pressure to replace the Watch and Ward staff with an armed and trained crack force.

Another significant change under discussion of the government is regarding the Parliamentary reporting. The authorities are going to make access to Parliament premises more stringent. The huge parking lots within Parliament are also likely to come under review.

The security managers of Parliament may finally have their say over a long-pending proposal — shot down by journalists — of limiting the number of journalists and cameramen covering Parliament. This may imply introduction of the western concept of pool system of reporting as a ceiling may be imposed on the number of journalistic staff covering Parliament per organisation.

After today’s attack, focus will inevitably be on the sophisticated gadgetry used for security and surveillance within Parliament House. The policy of placing closed circuit TV system and surveillance cameras as part of Parliament security is also likely to be given a look-in. Hitherto these devices have been put on Gate No 1, 5 and 12 of Parliament House but the authorities will have to see whether such gadgetries should be deployed on the outermost periphery of Parliament House.