Days ahead of the swearing-in of Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government swearing ceremony, the Punjab government had withdrawn the security cover of 122 former ministers and MLAs. In what appears to be surprising, Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who was the former transport minister, had astounding 21 Commandos attached for his security, the highest among the leaders that figure in the list. Former minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who lost from Bathinda Urban seat, was being protected by 19 security personnel while another former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu was being guarded by 16 personnel.
It may be recalled that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has won a record 92 seats in the recently held Punjab Assembly Elections and Bhagwant Mann and his cabinet’s swearing-in ceremony will be held on March 16.
The order issued by the additional director general of police (security), dated March 11, to police commissioners, senior superintendents of police and other senior police officers mentioned that security given to leaders on the specific orders of the courts will not be withdrawn.
Among the leaders who stand to lose their security cover include former ministers Badal, Raj Kumar Verka, Ashu, Brahm Mohindra, Sangat Singh Gilzian, former speaker K P Singh, Congress leaders who have won in this elections -Pargat Singh, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Rana Gurjeet Singh, Tript Rajender Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Sarkaria, and Barindermeet Singh Pahra. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, will also lose her security cover.
Prominent among the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, who will lose their security cover are Daljit Singh Cheema, Tota Singh, Sikandar Singh Maluka, Chunni Lal Bhaga, Manoranjan Kalia, Anil Joshi, Dinesh Babbu Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, and former MLAs Sharanjit Dhillon and Pawan Kumar Tinu. The list also includes the names of former AAP MLAs Jagtar Singh Jagga, Kanwar Sandhu, Amarjit Singh Sandoa and HS Phoolka.
Lok Insaaf Party’s Bains brothers — Simarjeet Bains and Balwinder Bains — will also lose their security cover. Further, the list includes the name of the former chief of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and ex-MLA Gobind Singh Longowal.
Other names in the list are Dina Nagar MLA Aruna Chaudhary, Gurdaspur MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra, former MLA Sukhpal Singh Bhullar, Randeep Singh Nabha, Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Rana KP Singh and Razia Sultana.