The Raghav Chadha, a senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, has had his Z+ category security cover withdrawn by the Punjab Police, a move that comes amid growing tensions between him and the party leadership. The state government had earlier granted him Z+ security, but it was reportedly withdrawn last week. According to reports, arrangements are now being made to provide him with security from the Central Government.
According to India Today report citing sources, the Delhi Police has been instructed to provide interim security cover to Chadha until formal central protection arrangements are finalised. The timing of the withdrawal has drawn attention in political circles, especially as the AAP leadership recently removed him from the post of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.Responding to his removal, Chadha said he had been “silenced, not defeated.” Party leaders had accused him of avoiding raising Punjab-related issues in Parliament and focusing more on outreach rather than taking an aggressive stand against the Centre. Chadha rejected these allegations, calling them false, and asserted that his parliamentary role is to raise public concerns, not create disruptions. He also denied distancing himself from opposition actions such as walkouts and signing notices against constitutional authorities. Since his removal from the deputy leader’s post, Chadha has continued to respond strongly to criticism through public statements and social media posts. He shared several videos highlighting his parliamentary interventions, signalling that he does not intend to remain silent. In one instance, he posted an image from a book chapter titled “Never Outshine the Master,” widely interpreted as an indirect reference to party chief Arvind Kejriwal. He also shared an Instagram video titled “Voice Raised, Price Paid,” featuring clips of issues he raised in Parliament, stating that his work would speak for itself.