The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)‑led Punjab government has withdrawn the Z+ category security cover provided to Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, a day after Raghav Chadha declared in the press conference that 7 Rajya Sabha MPs have parted their ways with AAP.
This move, which also saw all Punjab Police security personnel recalled from outside his residence in the Chhotti Baradari area of Jalandhar, underscores the state’s response to the high‑profile exodus and the growing tensions within Punjab’s ruling coalition.
Security cover withdrawn, around 10 police personnel removed
Harbhajan Singh’s police security cover, which consisted of around 9–10 Punjab Police personnel along with escort vehicles, was formally withdrawn on Saturday (April 25) by the Punjab government, said a PTI report. House staff at his Jalandhar residence confirmed that the officers and the official pilot vehicle had been taken back, effectively ending the state‑provided protective detail that had been in place for him as a senior party leader and MP.
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Centre steps in with CRPF security
Shortly after the state pulled back its security, the Central government deployed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel outside Harbhajan Singh’s home, ensuring that he continues to receive protection at the central level.
CRPF contingents were seen posted around his residence on Sunday (April 26), reflecting the Centre’s willingness to maintain security for MPs even when the state government chooses to withdraw its own cover in the wake of a political shift.
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The withdrawal of security came amid intense political drama and public backlash against the seven AAP MPs- including Harbhajan Singh, Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwal, Vikramjit Sahney and Sandeep Pathak- who left the party to join the BJP.
AAP vs BJP political fight ahead of Punjab elections
AAP workers held protests outside the homes of Harbhajan Singh and several others in Jalandhar and Ludhiana, painted the word ‘Gaddar’ (traitor) on boundary walls and condemning what they described as a betrayal of the party’s anti‑corruption origins.
Punjab’s AAP government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has framed the mass defection as an attempt by the BJP to break the AAP and weaken its base in the state ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
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