Punjab: 403 cops return to police stations after ex MPs, MLAs lose security

After stripping 122 former MPs and MLAs of security cover yesterday, Punjab Chief Minister-designate Bhagwant Mann on Sunday said that as many as 403 police personnel have returned to police stations.

Addressing a roadshow in Amritsar, Mann said, "We will utilise police for what they are meant to do (work for common people); we will not bother them (with security duties of VIPs)"

"We have decreased the security of 122 people and due to that 403 police personnel and 27 police vehicles have returned to the police stations," he informed.

Notably, the Additional Director General of Police (security) had ordered the withdrawal of security cover of 122 former MPs and MLAs in Punjab. The order was issued dated March 11, soon after Bhagwant Mann met the Director-General of Police (DGP) and the Chief Secretary after the Legislator party meeting.

The list includes names of senior Congress leaders, who got security cover under the previous government along with the names of Congress MLAs who won the Assembly elections this time from their seats but would no longer be the cabinet ministers.

Apart from senior leaders of BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), former AAP MLAs, former cabinet ministers and former Assembly Speakers were also on the list.

The order reads, the withdrawn police personnel will report to their parent units. It further said that the personnel deployed on specific orders of Courts will not be withdrawn.

Further, the CM-designate reiterated that no government offices will have Chief Minister's photos, "but will have pictures of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Ambedkar."

Thanking the people of the state for entrusting AAP with a sweeping majority, Mann took a dig at Congress and SAD and said, "You have defeated those who have ruled Punjab for 70 years interchangeably, by over 50,000 votes."

"While other parties were planning with whom to form an alliance with after the results to secure the government in the state, we knew that the people of Punjab will unite to vote them out of power," he added.

Ahead of the roadshow, Kejriwal along with Mann visited Golden Temple, Durgiana Temple and Jallianwala Bagh memorial.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new government will be held on March 16 at Khatkar Kalan, the native village of legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) registered a landslide victory in the Punjab polls with 92 seats, pushing most of its rivals to the margins. Congress won 18 seats in the 117-member Assembly.