AAP suspends cop-turned-MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap for 5 years over 'anti-party activities'

The Aam Aadmi Party has suspended former cop-turned-MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh from the party for five years. He is the party MLA from Amritsar North and has been a vocal critic of his own party’s government.

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The MLA had recently questioned the action by Vigilance Bureau against Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, which triggered the party action against him, citing “anti-party activities”. After the Akali leader was arrested from his house in Amritsar last week, Kunwar Vijay Pratap had questioned the arrest saying that when he was arrested previously, the government had not sought his remand and accused police officers of facilitating his bail. He also called the arrest unethical.

The MLA, who has often questioned the intent of his party in dealing with sacrilege issues, had also said that though he had ideological differences with Majithia, the case was about ethics and integrity in the process. Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh has not been attending party meetings for the past few months. After the hooch tragedy in Amritsar earlier this year, in which 27 people died after consuming methanol, the former cop had accused leaders of the AAP government of having joined hands with liquor mafia.

It is learnt that Kunwar Vijay Pratap has been suspended from the party for five years. The suspension was decided in the Political Affairs Committee meeting of the party, say sources.

“Questioning Vigilance action against Majithia has cost Kunwar Vijay Pratap dearly. The government's message is clear that politics will not be tolerated in the campaign against drugs. There is no place in the party for whosoever tries to create a hindrance in the anti-drug campaign,” said a senior party leader.

Though the MLA did not respond to calls, he put up a message on his social media — a verse from Gurbani, “ Kabir Jisu Marne te Jagu darre mere man anand”, hinting that he had no regret.

Commenting on his suspension, Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira said that this just proved that there was no space for dissent or truthful politics in AAP. Khaira was earlier elected as MLA on AAP ticket in 2017, but had soon parted ways with the party.