A report mentioned sources in the security set up as saying that as part of preparations for the upcoming Assembly Elections, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is arranging for central security cover for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Punjab.

In addition, some union ministers and BJP leaders will also have their security enhanced during the election campaign, though sources declined to disclose their names as a matter of security.

Further, the Centre will also assign VIP security to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), certain religious outfits, as well as the turncoats who joined the BJP recently, news agency IANS mentioned sources as saying.

The Centre’s move follows intelligence agencies’ reports that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has activated all of its terror wings to disrupt Punjab’s election process. Intelligence inputs, according to sources within the security set up, indicate that ISI-sponsored Sikh terror outfits may attempt to target election rallies in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarkhand, and also try to target some important leaders or VIPs.

Sources aded that the ISI considers the Punjab election as an ideal opportunity to reactivate the Khalistan movement in the state and other poll-bound states where the Sikh voters are in the majority, and has activated all small and big terror groups in order to derail it.

Sikh militant groups operating abroad have reportedly been instructed by the ISI to funnel weapons and explosives in Punjab. Organisations, such as International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF), Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Khalistan Zindabad Force, have also been instructed to arrange the supply of weapons through Pakistani handlers, said reports.

Recently, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s security cover was upgraded from Y category to Z category during his stay in Delhi and Punjab. Notably, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is the BJP in-charge for the upcoming Assembly Elections in Punjab.

During the West Bengal Assembly Elections in March-April last year, the Union Government had provided the VIP security cover to 79 BJP leaders, including Trinamool Congress turncoats.