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Punjab revokes Harbhajan’s security, Centre steps in with CRPF protection
The central government deputed 10 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) outside the former Indian cricketer’s house and cordoned off the whole area.
Two days after former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha member Harbhajan Singh snapped ties with the AAP before aligning with the Bharatiya Janta Party ( BJP), the Punjab Police on Sunday reportedly withdrew the security cover provided to him by the state government.
The state police security, comprising of 8-10 police personnel, has been deployed at Harbhajan’s Jalandhar-based residence in the Chhotti Baradari area.
Soon after their departure, the central government deputed 10 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) outside the former Indian cricketer’s house and cordoned off the whole area.
“As Punjab police security was scaled down, the CRPF personnel arrived from its regional headquarters based in Jalandhar to take control of security protocols. We have been told that the Union department of home affairs have taken decision to provide central security cover after reviewing Harbhajan’s security arrangements,” said one of the senior officials.
On Saturday, agitated AAP workers spray-painted the word “gaddar (traitor)” on the walls of Harbhajan’s Jalandhar house. The whole episode occurred in the presence of heavy police deployment, raising concerns over the security of the former cricketer and his family. Police remained mute spectators as AAP workers sprayed graffiti all over the facade of the three-storey building.
Similar remarks were also painted on the main gate of the Lovely Professional University (LPU) campus in Phagwara, owned by Ashok Mittal and on the boundary walls of Rajinder Gupta’s houses in Ludhiana’s Kitchlu Nagar and Chandigarh’s Sector 9.
The trio are among the seven Rajya Sabha members — including Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak — who severed ties with the AAP in a move that effectively handed over two-thirds of the party’s Upper House strength to the BJP.
Interestingly, Harbhajan has yet to clear his stance over his allegiance to the saffron party, as he could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
The former ace off-spinner is presently part of the commentary panel of the ongoing season of Indian Premier League (IPL). While Harbhajan rarely occupies the Jalandhar house due to his professional and political commitments, his mother and sister live here.
An official said Harbhajan hardly carried Punjab Police security cover with him. Police personnel were deployed at his residence only. Escort vehicles were provided to him during his visits to Jalandhar, but now the CRPF will look after the whole security arrangements, the official added.
Chugh flays Punjab Police
Meanwhile, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh criticised the Punjab Police for failing to protect MPs’ residences from attacks by AAP workers.
He added that the developments involving Punjab’s Rajya Sabha members had exposed the ruling party’s failure to deliver on its promises.
Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantonment Pargat Singh said the way security cover was being increased and withdrawn in Punjab made it clear that decisions were no longer based on intelligence assessments, but driven by political considerations of the AAP.
This is not the first time that the AAP government has curtailed security of leaders at odds with the party. On April 15, Raghav Chadha’s security was scaled down by the state government days after he was removed as deputy leader of AAP in the Rajya Sabha and replaced with Ashok Mittal.
Earlier, former AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, former AAP MLA Sheetal Angural, family members of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, including former MP Preneet Kaur, have been provided central security cover.
