AAP MP Raghav Chadha questioned his removal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha and asked if raising public issues in Parliament was a "crime", hours after the party replaced him in the role.
In a video shared on X, Chadha said, "Have I done something wrong?" He added, "Whenever I get the chance to speak in Parliament, I raise public's issues...but is it a crime or a mistake to do so? I am asking this because AAP has told the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to put a stop to Raghav Chadha's Parliament address."
The development follows a decision by the Aam Aadmi Party to remove Chadha as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha and nominate Ashok Mittal as his replacement. Party leaders confirmed that a letter was sent to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat seeking the change.
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The move also included a request that Chadha should not be allotted speaking time in the House from the party's quota, according to sources. Chadha is a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab.
Chadha said in his video that he raised issues that affect the public when he spoke in Parliament. He listed concerns he had taken up, including food prices at airports, issues faced by gig workers, prepaid mobile tariffs and the tax burden on the middle class.
Hours after his removal, Chadha shared another video highlighting issues he raised during his tenure as deputy leader. The video included references to topics such as tax burden on the middle class, data expiry, paternity leave as a right in India and excess baggage charges at airports.
The decision by the party led by Arvind Kejriwal has led to discussion on internal dynamics within AAP. Chadha, once seen as close to the leadership, had played a role in party affairs, including in Punjab and during the party's tenure in Delhi.
In his first public response after the removal, Chadha did not refer to his dismissal or any differences with the leadership. The video he shared consisted of clips from his recent speeches in the Rajya Sabha.
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