Punjab withdraws Z+ cover, Centre gives Z security to Raghav Chadha

New Delhi: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has been placed under Z category security by the Centre following an Intelligence Bureau (IB) threat perception review.

The decision comes shortly after the Punjab government withdrew his earlier Z+ security cover provided by the state police.

According to official sources, the move was taken after a security assessment flagged the need for continued protection. The arrangement will be implemented by central paramilitary forces, with coverage extended across both Delhi and Punjab. In the interim, the Delhi Police has been instructed to ensure immediate security arrangements until full deployment is completed.

Background: What changed in Chadha’s security cover

Previously, Chadha had been receiving Z+ category protection from the Punjab government, which is among the highest levels of state-provided security in India. However, the state recently withdrew this cover, a move that coincided with growing political tensions within the Aam Aadmi Party leadership.

Following the withdrawal, the Centre reviewed his security status independently. Based on the IB report, the Union Home Ministry under the Ministry of Home Affairs upgraded his protection to Z category cover at the national level.

Z vs Z+ security: Key difference in protection level

India’s VIP security system is categorised based on assessed threat levels. Z category security typically includes protection by a smaller team of armed personnel, often drawn from central armed police forces.

Z+ security, by comparison, is a higher tier of protection involving a larger security detail and more intensive round-the-clock coverage. Chadha’s earlier Z+ cover was state-provided, whereas the current Z category cover is centrally administered and based on national-level threat evaluation.

Political backdrop: Escalating rift within AAP

The security changes come amid widening differences between Chadha and sections of the AAP leadership. He was recently removed from his position as deputy leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, a development that intensified internal tensions.

Party leaders have accused him of not taking a sufficiently strong stance in Parliament on Punjab-related issues and of missing participation in certain protest actions led by the opposition. Chadha has rejected these allegations, calling them inaccurate and maintaining that his parliamentary role focuses on substantive debate and policy issues.

Chadha’s response and public messaging

In response to criticism, Chadha has defended his parliamentary record and shared video compilations highlighting his interventions in the Rajya Sabha. He has stated that his “work will speak for itself” and has pushed back against claims questioning his commitment to the party line.

He has also made cryptic social media remarks amid speculation about his political future, though he has not announced any formal decision regarding a new political platform.

Significance of the development

The simultaneous withdrawal of state-provided Z+ security and the Centre’s decision to grant Z category protection has drawn political attention. While security decisions are officially based on threat assessments, the timing has coincided with an ongoing internal leadership dispute within AAP.

The case highlights how security protocol decisions in India are often closely watched when they overlap with political developments, especially involving prominent national-level leaders.