DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday lashed out at the opposition on the issue of scaling down the security cover of SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, asking why the rival parties were "showing so much sympathy".

The statement came after several leaders of the BJP, SAD and the Congress condemned the Punjab Police's move to curtail Majithia's security cover.

Punjab Police on Wednesday said the security cover of the senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader has been scaled down based on a reassessment of threat perception. Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said the reports that Majithia's security has been withdrawn are not right.

Several leaders, including Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, condemned the trimming of Majithia's security cover. AAP's Punjab unit president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora asked why the opposition parties are showing so much "sympathy" for Majithia, who had been booked in a drug case in 2021. "Why the Congress, Akali Dal and BJP have come together over the withdrawal of security for Majithia, but they never unite for the rights of Punjabis," he said in a statement.

Arora said that Majithia was granted "prime minister-level" security despite having no genuine need for such protection.

The AAP's fight against drugs will continue no matter how hard the opposition parties try, he added. Reacting to Arora's statement that he did not require so much security, Majithia asked the minister "did it take the AAP government three years to reach this conclusion".

Majithia said that Arora had also questioned "why a PM-level security was given to a drug accused but conveniently forgot that he was socializing with him a few days back and commenting that the entire party wanted to see the back of (chief minister) Bhagwant Mann".

He said that his entire security cover was withdrawn on March 29 and added the AAP government's statement that a few personnel were still posted with him was an about turn when cornered by the political parties.

Senior AAP leader and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said it is shocking that the reduction of one individual's security has left Akali Dal, BJP and Congress "unsettled". He alleged that the "drug mafia expanded its network" during the Akali Dal-BJP government.

Earlier on Tuesday, SAD's former president Sukhbir Singh Badal had claimed that the Z-plus security cover of Majithia has been withdrawn by the Punjab government.

Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar had also condemned the Punjab Police's move.

"Whether the security of Bikram Singh Majithia has been removed for political reasons is a matter of debate for another day, but I would like to underscore to Bhagwant Mann govt that personal whims, fancies and political vendetta must never dictate such rash decisions," Jakhar said in a post on X on Tuesday. / PTI /

(editor@dailyworld.in)