New Delhi, Sept. 10: The Narendra Modi government is considering requests from yoga practitioner Baba Ramdev and self-styled godman Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to exempt them from frisking at airports.

The proposal comes at a time the Centre is undecided on whether to drop Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law, Robert Vadra, from the list of VIPs exempted from airport security checks. Modi had attacked the "special treatment" for Vadra during his campaign speeches before last year's general election.

Ramdev had publicly endorsed Modi's candidature ahead of the elections while Ram Rahim, who heads the Dera Sacha Sauda sect, is said to have helped the BJP win the Haryana Assembly polls.

Civil aviation ministry sources said Ramdev and Ram Rahim had independently approached the government for the exemption.

Junior aviation minister Mahesh Sharma confirmed the "saints" had contacted the government seeking "fast passage" through airports, and that their demands were being "explored".

"We are considering what we can do about it since we have to reassess the list (of those exempt) anyway," Sharma told The Telegraph.

"They (Ram Rahim and Ramdev) have approached us informally and we are considering it (their demands) without any bias or prejudice and may accept (it) if it does not come in the way of security."

He said that some other "saints" had asked to be allowed to board aircraft with their sticks or trishuls (tridents).

"There may be problems but we have to find their solutions," Sharma said, indicating the ministry might allow some "holy men" to carry such accessories on flights.

Thirty-one categories of VIPs are now exempt from airport frisking, according to a list maintained by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, India's aviation security regulator.

It includes the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Union cabinet ministers, the leader of the Opposition, Supreme Court judges, high court chief justices, chief ministers and their deputies, governors and ambassadors, the Dalai Lama, the Gandhis - Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka - as well as Vadra, when he travels with the Gandhis.

The Union home ministry had granted Ramdev Z-category security late last year, which means about 25 Central Reserve Police Force personnel now protect him.

But a spokesperson for Ramdev explained the no-frisk request solely in terms of saving time. "Baba is a divine person and has his own protocol. It's for the government to decide what privileges they want to grant him," S.K. Tijariwala said.

"We have seen all odds in life; this is a petty issue - the government will decide if it wants to increase efficiency. It (a frisking waiver) just saves time, that's it."

A spokesperson for Ram Rahim said the Dera chief's threat perception was very high but did not confirm whether he had approached the government for exemption from airport security checks.

An aviation risk expert who didn't wish to be named said it was "strange" that the government was even entertaining the no-frisk proposals.

"If people with religious followings get such privileges, what would it mean if not misuse of power? Nowhere in the world are priests or holy men granted such status."

Aviation ministry sources said the list was set to be pruned. Among those likely to be dropped are the deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the attorney-general and Vadra.

Earlier this year, a controversy over the film MSG: Messenger of God, which featured Ram Rahim playing himself in the lead, had prompted resignations by most of the Central Board of Film Certification members, including chief censor Leela Samson.

A film certification tribunal had cleared the movie after the censors declined to, saying the film promoted "blind faith, superstition and unscientific attitudes".

After the resignations, the government appointed a new censor board under Pahlaj Nihalani.

The film triggered street protests in Haryana, Punjab and Delhi by the Akali Dal, Indian National Lok Dal and various Sikh bodies opposed to the Dera. The sequel, MSG-2, is to release on September 18.