The Punjab government on Wednesday curtailed security of former ministers and withdrew 127 personnel and nine vehicles in all. As many as 26 personnel have been withdrawn from former MLA Parminder Pinky and 28 from ex-CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. This is the third instance when the the AAP government of Bhagwant Singh Mann has removed security cover of VIPs. In first two orders, the state had removed the security of 184 people including former MLAs, MPs, ministers and private protectees.
Among the people whose security has been withdrawn are OP Soni, former deputy CM of Punjab; Vijay Inder Singla, former Cabinet minister; Harsimrat Kaur badal, Lok Sabha MP; Sunil Jakhar, former Lok Sabha MP; Parminder Singh Pinky, former MLA; Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former MLA; Navtej Singh Cheema, former MLA; and Kewal Singh Dhillion, former MLA. Of these, Bhattal, Cheema and Dhillion had Y+ security while the others had Z category security. Harsimrat Kaur was protected by 13 police personnel and one vehicle while Jakhar had got 14 personnel and one vehicle.
The government had issued first order in March and the second in April. The third list with eight names was released on May 11.
The government also withdrew 19 police personnel from the security of former deputy CM OP Soni. Besides, police have also decategorised security of former state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar. Some BJP leaders were also among those whose security was stripped off. BJP’s state Vice President Rajesh Bagga, star campaigner Mahi Gill, district president Harinder Singh Kohli also lost their security.
The key leaders who have lost their security are the families of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, IPS Gurdarshan Singh, and Udaybir Singh (son of former minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa). Former Cabinet Ministers Surjit Singh Rakhra, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Tota Singh also figured in the list along with former Congress MP Varinder Singh Bajwa, and Santosh Chaudhary. While the security of former PPCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu stays.
