In the latest twist in the growing rift within the Aam Aadmi Party, the Punjab government swiftly withdrew the Z+ category security cover provided to Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday, just days after the party removed him as its deputy leader in the Upper House.
The move came amid heightened tensions. On April 2, AAP replaced Chadha with Ashok Mittal as deputy leader, accusing the 37-year-old MP of not raising his voice strongly enough against the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament, instead focusing on “soft PR”. Punjab Police personnel deployed for Chadha’s security were asked to report back to headquarters immediately.
The withdrawal has sparked sharp criticism from Opposition parties. Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress accused the AAP government in Punjab of playing politics with an MP’s safety. Interestingly, the very same day, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at the residence of the new deputy leader, Ashok Mittal, in Jalandhar, adding fuel to the political fire.
However, the Centre moved quickly. Following a fresh threat assessment by the Intelligence Bureau, the Ministry of Home Affairs granted Z-category security to Raghav Chadha. Paramilitary forces will now provide him protection in both Delhi and Punjab.
This episode highlights the deepening cracks inside AAP, especially between its Punjab unit and some of its prominent national faces. For Raghav Chadha, who has been a vocal voice for the party on many issues, the sudden security drama has turned personal and political at the same time.
As the row escalates, many are watching whether this signals bigger changes in AAP’s internal power equations or remains a one-off episode in the party’s turbulent journey.
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