A DAY after being removed as the AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, MP Raghav Chadha said he has been “silenced, not defeated”, prompting the party to accuse him of shying away from raising issues against the Centre in Parliament and instead engaging in “soft PR”. In a video posted on X earlier in the day, Chadha said his own party had sought to prevent him from speaking in Parliament. “I would like to tell those who have snatched away my right to speak in Parliament to not take my silence for defeat. I am a river that can transform into a flood when the time comes. Jai Hind,” he said in Hindi. The Rajya Sabha MP said whenever he got a chance, he raised public issues in Parliament, including topics that are often overlooked, and questioned whether speaking about people’s problems was a crime. “Did I commit any offence?” he said. Chadha said that in Parliament, he talked about the common people of the country and their issues, including expensive food at airports, problems faced by food delivery riders, food adulteration, toll plazas charges, mobile data expiry, tax on the middle class, among others. “Anyway, you (common man) have continued to give me unlimited love.

 

Whenever I have raised these issues, you have supported and appreciated me. I thank you for that. Please keep holding my hand like this and continue supporting me,” Chadha said. Hitting back, Delhi AAP President Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that Chadha failed to toe the party’s line on several matters in Parliament and did not join Opposition walkouts on key issues. Bharadwaj further alleged that in recent months, Government has been cracking down on those daring to question its policies, with critics facing action such as social media account suspensions and FIRs. Removing Chadha AAP’s internal matter, says BJP: The BJP said that removing Chadha was an internal matter of the party but preventing him from speaking in the House was wrong. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva slammed AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal as a “scared” leader who could not “tolerate any capable person” in his party. Punjab CM Mann slams Chadha as ‘compromised’: PUNJAB CM Bhagwant Mann slammed Chadha and said he believes he is “compromised”, pointing out that he has gone against the party whip.