In a move that has triggered political ripples across Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday suspended its sitting MLA from Amritsar North Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, a cop-turned-politician, for five years citing “anti-party activities”. The action follows the retired IPS officer’s public criticism of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau's recent raids and subsequent arrest of senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia.
The decision, approved by AAP’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC), has been seen as the culmination of prolonged tensions between the party and the maverick legislator, who has consistently raised questions over the ruling dispensation’s intent and actions — especially in matters related to police functioning, sacrilege investigations, and governance ethics.
Kunwar Vijay Pratap, who joined AAP in 2021 after resigning as Inspector General of Police and contested the 2022 assembly elections successfully, has not been on good terms with the party leadership in recent months. He had skipped key party events in Amritsar and was largely absent from public party functions.
The latest flashpoint was his strong disapproval of the Vigilance Bureau’s early-morning raid at Majithia’s house in Amritsar and his subsequent arrest. In a strongly worded post, Vijay Pratap had said: “Almost every incoming government has misused the police and vigilance for political vendetta, but rarely have such actions yielded justice.”
He went on to accuse the government of “playing with the dignity” of a family, saying that the raid at a “multi-daughter” household (where many daughters live) violated ethical norms. While affirming his ideological differences with Majithia, he underscored that due process and ethical conduct cannot be sacrificed for political optics.
A former top cop further reminded the public that Majithia, arrested during the previous Congress regime, had been granted bail precisely because the AAP-led Government had not shown interest in pursuing remand or filing a chargesheet. “If the government could not produce evidence or demand his custody then, what has changed now?” he asked in his post.
Reacting to the suspension, party spokesperson Neel Garg defended the decision, stating, “When the whole of Punjab is supporting the crackdown on drug lords, it is unfortunate that our own MLA is questioning the government's intent. This kind of indiscipline and undermining of the anti-drug campaign is intolerable.”
On his part, Vijay Pratap responded with a cryptic verse from Gurbani on social media. “Kabir jisu marne te jag dare mere man anand” (loosely translated as ‘That which the world fears — death — brings joy to me), suggesting that he remains unfazed by the party’s disciplinary action.
This isn't the first time the MLA has expressed dissent. 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.
Also, shortly after being elected, he had raised objections to the appointment of two IPS officers — Prabodh Kumar and Arun Pal Singh — alleging that both had links with political families and had obstructed justice in the Bargari sacrilege and police firing cases. He even edited his original post later, perhaps under internal pressure.
In 2023, he publicly accused the AAP Government of lacking the will to bring the real culprits of the Bargari police firing incident to justice, despite heading the SIT investigation into the case during his tenure in uniform. More recently, during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Vijay Pratap had posted critical remarks when AAP MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and MLA Sheetal Angural joined the BJP, questioning the party's leadership and direction.
“People are leaving, some are celebrating, and others are abroad under the pretext of treatment,” he had written, in an indirect jibe at top AAP leaders like Raghav Chadha.
The suspension of Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who was personally inducted into the party by AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, reflected an increasingly rigid line adopted by the Mann-led Government against internal criticism.
AAP DEFENDS: Consistent Indiscipline Cost Kunwar Vijay Dearly
AAP spokesperson Neel Garg on Sunday said that repeated public criticism of party policies violates political decorum and cannot be tolerated. Garg said: “If he had any grievances, he should have raised them within the party or with the Chief Minister — not on social media.”
The disciplinary action came days after the Amritsar North MLA questioned the Vigilance Bureau’s crackdown on Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia. Calling Kunwar Vijay’s remarks “highly condemnable”, Garg said that they undermined the state’s ongoing fight against drugs.
“The people of Punjab are witnessing real action against the drug mafia for the first time. Our message is clear — there will be zero tolerance for those obstructing this mission,” Garg said, adding that several former police and ED officers are supporting the government’s effort and providing key evidence against Majithia.
Blaming the previous Akali-BJP regime for shielding drug cartels, Garg said that the AAP Government is committed to justice for thousands of families ruined by drugs. “This is a battle for Punjab’s future. There will be no compromise,” he affirmed.
OPPOSITION SLAMS AAP: Demands Answers on Sacrilege and Drug Issues
Kunwar Viijay’s suspension has drawn sharp criticism from Punjab’s opposition parties, with the Congress and BJP accusing the Bhagwant Mann-led Government of silencing voices of truth and dodging key questions on sacrilege and the drug menace.
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said: “While the suspension is AAP’s internal matter, it doesn’t absolve the government from answering the questions raised by Kunwar Vijay Pratap. The people of Punjab are asking the same things.”
Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Partap Singh Bajwa called the suspended MLA “one of AAP’s few honest and courageous voices”, and said that his only fault was exposing the government’s failures. “His suspension is a badge of honour for standing with the truth,” Bajwa added.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who was once a part of AAP, commented sharply on the development. “There’s no space for dissent in AAP. Those who speak the truth are either sidelined or shown the door. The party, which once stood for internal democracy and clean politics, is now cracking down on its own voices of conscience.”
Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sarin also questioned the government’s silence. “Punjab’s public wants answers. Why are sacrilege cases still unresolved? What is the truth behind the alleged drug cartel links?” he asked.