Punjab government withdraws Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa’s state security

The Punjab Government on Saturday decided to withdraw the state police security from Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa after an assessment showed that he had virtually no threat perception and was, in any case, now getting central security directly accorded to him by the Union Home Ministry.

The development came five days after Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo, MP and former Punjab Congress chief, slammed Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh demanding a CBI or ED investigation in the recent Punjab hooch tragedy that claimed 120 lives.

An official spokesperson of Punjab government informed that the state police security provided to Bajwa had become redundant since he had procured personal security directly from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. A mixed security component was, in any case, not considered good, particularly when the Rajya Sabha MP had, by opting for central security, showed that he had no faith in the state police.

Contrary to claims made by Bajwa, the central security he had got was not at the behest of the Congress leadership, the spokesperson said adding that in fact, the Union Home Ministry had not even consulted the

Punjab government to gauge the threat perception, which is usually done before providing central security to any person.

Bajwa, as Rajya Sabha MP, could have simply approached the party’s leader in the House, Ghulam Nabi Azad, to seek central security, and as is the norm, the latter could have simply sent his request to the Union Home Ministry. However, for some reason, the Home Ministry chose not to discuss the matter of Bajwa’s threat perception with the state government in this case, which was a clear deviation from the norm followed in such cases, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson further said that Bajwa has actually been getting enhanced security from Punjab Police all this time, way beyond what he was entitled to as Rajya Sabha MP. This was because the state government decided not to withdraw the greater security he had at his disposal as president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC). Ideally, the enhanced security should have been pulled out as soon as he became MP, with virtually zero threat perception.

Bajwa was given Z Category security cover by the MHA on March 19 and as of date has 25 CISF personnel for personal security, house protection and escort, besides 2 escort drivers. Till March 23, he also had 14 Punjab Police personnel deployed with him but a few were withdrawn for COVID-19 duties. He currently has 6 Punjab Police personnel and an escort with driver, which are now being withdrawn, said the spokesperson.

Meanwhile, ANI has quoted Bajwa saying that mining, liquor, drugs and transport mafias were established under the rule of Badals but are thriving under Punjab CM Capt. Amarinder Singh's governance. "Mining,

liquor, cable, drugs and transport mafias established under the rule of Badals are thriving under Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh's governance. If the future of Congress has to be saved then we need to change the leadership in the state," Bajwa said.

Training guns on Capt. Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab following the death of 120 people after consuming hooch, the two Congress MPs Partap Singh Bajwa and Shamsher Singh Dullo had on Monday demanded an “impartial and thorough” probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate into the illegal liquor business in the state.

The duo, who are also former presidents of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), had met Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore and alleged “clear-cut failure” on the part of the state administration and claimed the tragedy could have been averted had the chief minister acted in time on their complaints about illegal liquor businesses.