AAP Suspends Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Singh From Party For 5 Years

The AAP on Sunday suspended Amritsar North MLA and former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh from the party for five years for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities.

Mr Kunwar's suspension came days after he questioned the Vigilance Bureau's action against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who was arrested in a disproportionate assets case on June 25.

The decision to suspend Kunwar from the party was taken by the AAP's political affairs committee, the party said, adding that the government's message is clear that politics cannot be tolerated in the campaign against drugs.

AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said the MLA was suspended for consistently making public statements against party activities, and it is against political decorum.

"However, despite being an MLA from the party, Kunwar Vijay Pratap deliberately spoke against this action, which is entirely inappropriate," said Garg.

He added that the AAP government is working with full commitment to eradicate drugs from Punjab and is continuously cracking down on smugglers.

"At such a time, statements like those made by Kunwar Vijay Pratap are highly condemnable and unfortunate," he said.

Garg said if Kunwar had any objections, he could have raised them on the party platform or complained to the chief minister, but he chose to air his grievances publicly.

Soon after the news of his suspension emerged on social media, Kunwar posted on Facebook, "Kabir, jis marne te jag dare, mere man anand' (Kabir, that the death which the world fears, but to me, my mind feels bliss)." The Vigilance Bureau on June 25 arrested Majithia after conducting a raid at his residence in the disproportionate assets case.

Majithia and his wife, Ganieve Kaur Majithia, who is an Akali MLA, had protested against the raid, alleging 30 members of the Vigilance Bureau barged into their house in Amritsar.

Majithia had even shared the video of the raid operation.

Kunwar had shared the same video on his Facebook on June 25 and wrote, "The dignity of a family is shared by all -whether one is a politician, actor, rich or poor, friend or foe. Carrying out a raid at someone's house early in the morning is against principles. Almost every government has misused the police and vigilance agencies for its own benefit, but the result has never been significant." Kunwar also wrote, "The honourable high court granted bail (to Majithia) on the grounds that if the police do not require (him) for interrogation, keeping in custody is against the law.

"When he was in custody, the government facilitated his bail, and now suddenly, notices are issued to him for questioning, and today a raid is being conducted at his house," he said.

Kunwar has remained a vocal critic of the AAP government over many issues.

He had earlier expressed his displeasure over the handling of the 2015 sacrilege and police firing incident cases in Faridkot, seeking justice in the matter.

Kunwar was part of the Punjab Police special investigation team, which probed the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan policing firing incidents.

In the Assembly, Kunwar raised the 2015 sacrilege issue many times.

Kunwar has also been critical of his government following the death of more than 20 people due to spurious liquor consumption in Amritsar in May.

After taking premature retirement from police service in 2021, Kunwar joined the AAP and was later elected as MLA from the Amritsar North seat.

Meanwhile, opposition parties targeted the AAP government over Kunwar's suspension, saying the action was taken against him for "exposing" the Bhagwant Mann government.

Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa said when the former IPS officer joined the AAP, party leader Arvind Kejriwal had promised to ensure justice in the 2015 sacrilege incidents and wipe out the drug mafia.

"But what is the reality today? Kunwar Vijay Pratap - one of @AAPPunjab's few honest, courageous MLAs - is suspended for speaking the truth! His only fault? Exposing @BhagwantMann's total failure in curbing drugs, delivering justice in Beadbi cases, and protecting Punjab's honour.

"Kunwar won't bow down - his suspension is a badge of honour for standing with truth & Punjab!," said Bajwa in a post on X.

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said the AAP government's "question hour" has begun, and everyone knows it has no answers.

"It may suspend its MLA from the party, but what about 3 cr Punjabis who are asking the same questions Kunwar Vijay Pratap has been asking," Warring added.

Punjab BJP leader Fatehjung Singh Bajwa said the AAP MLA's suspension is a "proof that dissent and honest politics have no space under the authoritarian grip of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)