For the first time and just before the 67th independence day, government has deployed "armed" security personnel to guard 'Rajghat' -- the memorial of the father of the nation and apostle of non-violence Mahatma Gandhi -- in the national capital.

The issue of deploying armed guards at the venue on the banks of the Yamuna, thronged by VVIPs and common people round the year, was kept aside since the last over six years considering Gandhi's principles of non-violence and 'ahimsa' and the emotions attached in this context. All other nine memorials in the vicinity of Rajghat like Shakti Sthal (Indira Gandhi), Veer Bhumi (Rajeev Gandhi), Vijay Sthal (Lal Bahadur Shastri) among others have been brought under armed security cover since 2004.

The Union Home Ministry recently, after top-level deliberations with the Ministry of Urban Development and other government agencies, decided to deploy weapon carrying CISF men to take over the 'Rajghat' security from August 1 based on some vital intelligence inputs.