Nearly two dozen BJP leaders, candidates get security cover in Punjab, UP until elections

[Representative image/Photo credit: Irfan Amin Malik]

Close to two dozen BJP leaders, majorly from Punjab, have been given security cover by the central government after analysing threat perception.

Two top paramilitary forces — Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) — that are involved in providing security cover to the maximum number of protectees have been asked to provide these leaders the same.

Interestingly, some of them already have security cover from Punjab Police but the Centre has asked to give security “over and above the security cover presently provided to them by the Punjab Police”, a communication says.

Most leaders will enjoy the security cover till the conclusion of the assembly elections in Punjab and a review will be done after polls.

According to sources, a similar step was taken by the central government in view of threat perception to various BJP candidates in West Bengal during assembly elections. Various leaders and candidates got security cover but it was later withdrawn after the counting of voting for assembly elections was completed.

The leaders who have been given security cover include SPS Baghel who is now getting Z category security cover in Uttar Pradesh by Central Industrial Security Force. Similarly, Dr Ramesh Chand, Member of Parliament, will get X category security cover in Uttar Pradesh.

Twenty-one leaders, sitting MLAs and candidates have got Y category cover from CRPF. The force will protect them until elections get over. The new list of protectees includes Avtar Singh Zira; Nimisha T Mehta, a close aide of Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi who recently joined BJP; Sardar Didar Singh Bhatti; Sardar Kanwar Veer Singh Tohra; Sardar Gurpreet Singh Bhatti; and Sardar Hariot Kamal. Sukhwinder Singh Bindra and Parminder Singh Dhindsa have got Y+ security cover from CRPF.

Earlier, Parminder Singh Brar, who was the head of Akali Dal’s youth wing and recently joined BJP, got security cover. Brar is the grandson of late Akali leader Hari Singh Zira.

Similarly, last year in December, the Union Home Ministry upgraded the security cover of BJP leaders Manjinder Singh Sirsa a few days after he joined BJP. Also, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi’s security cover was upgraded from the ‘Y’ category to the ‘Z’ category. Sodhi had also joined BJP with Sirsa in December.