Former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas's security to be reviewed: Govt sources

The security of poet and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas is being reviewed after he courted controversy by levelling damaging allegations against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, according to people familiar with the matter. Kumar Vishwas had claimed that AAP national convener was ready to take support from the fringe and separatist elements to become the chief minister of Punjab. 

Vishwas, a founding member of AAP, went on to say that Kejriwal also had his “formula” ready to become the first Prime Minister of an “independent nation”. 

"One day, he (Kejriwal) told me he would either become the chief minister (of Punjab)...or the first prime minister of an independent nation (Khalistan)," Kumar Vishwas said in an interview.

Sikh separatist elements have long been demanding a separate nation by seceding from Punjab, which directly threatens India's integrity and sovereignty. Vishwas's allegation has not only the ability to damage AAP's prospects in the Punjab assembly elections scheduled for February 20, it could also have a long-lasting impact on Kejriwal's carefully built image over a period of time.

The Aam Aadmi Party has vehemently denied the allegations and demanded proof from Vishwas to substantiate his claims.

Both Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have cornered AAP over Vishwas's allegations. Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi even requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an “impartial probe” into the video interview of Vishwas, on which the additional chief electoral officer of Punjab had briefly put a publishing ban through a controversial letter.

On Thursday, the election official restrained media houses, political parties and their representatives from publishing the interview, terming it “maliciously manufactured”. The letter was soon withdrawn by the chief electoral officer.