In a recent move by the Punjab Police, Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh has been relieved of his security detail in the state. According to sources, the security personnel (numbering about 9-10) were withdrawn from his house in Jalandhar’s Chhotti Baradari neighbourhood on Saturday.
Even though the Punjab police security was withdrawn, on Sunday, Central Reserve Police Force personnel were seen standing guard outside his house, suggesting that the central security cover has not been removed.
This decision comes against the back of a significant political development, with Harbhajan Singh and several other lawmakers recently quitting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The move has drawn ire from AAP activists, who have staged protests at the homes of Singh and other leaders who defected. The protesters reportedly damaged property and scrawled “Gaddar” (traitor) on compound walls in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and other cities.
The political defection included seven MPs, including Raghav Chadha, who said they were ideologically misaligned with AAP and accused it of betraying its roots. In a counter, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the politicians, saying they betrayed the public’s trust, and claimed the BJP was seeking to destabilise the AAP in the state.
This has further heightened political tensions in Punjab, with security measures and reactions underline the consequences of the recent party switch.