The Central Government has taken a significant step regarding the security of seven Rajya Sabha MPs, including former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, who recently left the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Within hours of the Punjab government withdrawing their security, the Union Home Ministry took a tough stand and provided all these leaders with a security cover of CRPF commandos. On Sunday morning, CRPF personnel were seen stationed outside Harbhajan Singh’s residence in Jalandhar, making it clear that the Center does not want to take any risks. This decision comes as AAP workers have been staging aggressive protests against these MPs in various cities across Punjab.
Just two days ago, a total of seven out of ten AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, led by Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Harbhajan Singh, announced their decision to join the BJP. Immediately following this major political upheaval, the Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab withdrew the state police security previously provided to these MPs. A team of nearly ten police personnel stationed at Harbhajan Singh’s house was removed on Saturday evening. This left the leaders vulnerable, especially as angry protesters began labeling them as ‘traitors’ and waving black flags outside their homes in cities like Jalandhar and Ludhiana.
Security experts believe the decision to deploy paramilitary forces was made due to the intensity of the ground-level protests and threats surfacing on social media. In addition to Harbhajan Singh, leaders like Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Swati Maliwal are expected to be granted Y-plus category security. According to Home Ministry sources, intelligence agencies had flagged a potential risk of attacks or mobbing, leading to this protective measure. A special contingent of the CRPF will now accompany these leaders during their private visits and public programs. This move has added a new dimension to the ongoing political turmoil in Punjab, highlighting a security standoff between the Center and the State.