Chandigarh: In a significant development, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has written to Union Home Ministry refusing to take the 'Z Plus' security provided to him recently by the central government, sources said on Thursday. It is learnt that the Punjab CM has written a letter to the MHA saying that he will not take the Centre's Z plus security in Punjab and Delhi while preferring the Punjab Police for his security.
Mann has told the MHA that he has confidence in the Punjab state police in terms of the security. The development comes after the Centre on May 25 announced Z plus security to the Punjab CM following threat perception from the recent crackdown on the Khalistani elements especially the arrest of Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh and his associates.
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Following the announcement of the security by the Centre, Mann would be given the security cover by a central agency and could not take the security by the Punjab police. Sources said that if the Punjab CM is given the protection by the outside agencies, it would convey a wrong message to the state security forces more so when CM Mann himself holds the Home Department portfolio.
Sources said that accepting the Z plus security from the Centre, would send a wrong message to the state police and demoralize them. This is why the state government wrote a letter to the MHA to refuse the Z plus security. While the Punjab CM has refused to take the Z plus security in Punjab and Delhi, he has told the MHA that the Centre can provide him the security in other states.
Following the operation against Amritpal Singh, the Centre announced the Z plus security for Punjab CM Mann including 10 NSG commandos and CRPF along with Punjab Police. Earlier, late former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia were provided with Z Plus security.
