Chandigarh, April 16
The Punjab government has withdrawn the Z-plus category security cover of Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, days after a public disagreement between him and the Aam Aadmi Party over his removal as Deputy Leader in the Upper House. Sources indicate the cover was revoked recently, and that the Center may consider providing him security.
Chadha, a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, had been provided Z-plus security by the state government earlier. Sources said the security arrangement was withdrawn a few days ago following developments within the party.
The Aam Aadmi Party on April 2 replaced Chadha with MP Ashok Mittal as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha. Reacting to his removal, Chadha said he had been “silenced, not defeated,” drawing a sharp response from the party leadership. The party accused him of engaging in “soft PR” and not forcefully raising issues against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government in Parliament.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Chadha appeared “compromised” for not adhering to the party whip. He stated that not speaking on issues such as the alleged deletion of votes in West Bengal, not participating in walkouts on key matters, and not raising his voice over the arrest of AAP workers in Gujarat amounted to going against the party line.
Senior AAP leaders in Punjab, including Cabinet minister Harpal Singh Cheema, also criticized Chadha and accused him of failing to adequately represent Punjab’s concerns in Parliament. In response, Chadha earlier shared a video highlighting his interventions on key issues related to the state.
The withdrawal of security has drawn criticism from opposition parties. Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that the Punjab Police had been politicized and sought an explanation from the Director General of Police on the basis for granting and later withdrawing Chadha’s security cover.
Majithia further alleged that the state government was misusing police and vigilance agencies for political purposes instead of focusing on public safety. He also claimed that Chadha had been allotted a residence in Chandigarh.
Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa criticized both the BJP and the AAP, alleging that the two parties act in tandem when it suits them. He accused them of misusing institutions to settle political scores and described the situation as collusive politics, adding that the public can see through such actions.
The development comes amid ongoing tensions within the AAP’s Punjab unit and raises questions about political and administrative decisions related to security cover, even as the possibility of central protection for Chadha remains under consideration.
