Chandigarh, 26 April (H.S.):

The Punjab government has withdrawn the state police security cover provided to Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh “Bhajji”, escalating political tensions after his reported move from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Within hours of the state’s decision, the central government stepped in and deployed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to guard his home in Jalandhar.

Security withdrawn, then replaced

Punjab police had been providing Harbhajan Singh with ‘Y‑category’ security as a Rajya Sabha MP. Personnel who had been stationed at his residence in Jalandhar’s Chhoti Baradari area were abruptly withdrawn on Sunday.

Soon afterwards, CRPF personnel were posted outside his house, indicating that he will now be under central instead of state‑level protection.

This move comes in the wake of multiple AAP Rajya Sabha MPs reportedly switching to the BJP, and the Punjab government appears to be tightening the screws on those who have left the ruling party. Earlier, the state administration had also withdrawn security cover for AAP‑turned‑BJP member Raghav Chadha, setting a precedent.

Raghav Chadha had earlier claimed that Harbhajan Singh was also leaving AAP, though the cricketer‑turned‑MP has not yet made any formal or public statement on his political future.

Punjab–Centre tussle and political reactions

Another Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, Vikramjit Singh Sahni, told a news channel on Sunday that he had never formally joined AAP and rejected claims that he had defected. He said former AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had asked him to resign, but on the advice of his aides he chose not to do so. He also described Punjab as being in an “ICU” and stressed that the state needed central support for its recovery.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal said that Raghav Chadha had invited him for tea on 16, 17 and 18 April, allegedly to discuss forming a breakaway “independent group.” Seechewal added that he declined the offer and made it clear that he would not support or join any such faction.

The withdrawal of Punjab police security and its replacement with CRPF cover is being read as a mix of political signalling and security‑protocol adjustment. While the state government acted to revoke the state‑provided security detail, the Centre’s prompt deployment of CRPF personnel suggests that Harbhajan Singh’s security concerns are still being treated as a matter of national‑level responsibility.

With Punjab’s politics in visible flux, the episode around Harbhajan Singh has become a focal point in the broader narrative of AAP–BJP realignments and the state’s struggle for stability.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar