The Aryavarth Express New Delhi, April 3: Delhi Leader of Opposition and AAP leader Atishi on Friday publicly questioned party colleague and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha over his silence on key national issues, including what she described as a “threat to the Constitution” and a shortage of LPG gas.
In a video posted on X, Atishi accused Chadha of not speaking out during what she termed a critical time for the country. She alleged that he had refrained from questioning the functioning of the Election Commission during the ongoing political situation in West Bengal and had declined to support an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner.
Raising concerns about governance and democracy, Atishi said the nation was facing a serious constitutional crisis and questioned why Chadha appeared reluctant to voice his stance. She also highlighted economic hardships, pointing to an alleged shortage of LPG gas and its impact on ordinary citizens, saying many families were struggling to manage basic needs like cooking.
Meanwhile, AAP leader Anurag Dhanda also criticised Chadha, claiming he had been hesitant in recent years to speak against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Responding to the criticism, Chadha defended himself, stating that his silence in Parliament should not be interpreted as weakness. He claimed he regularly raises public issues whenever given the opportunity and questioned whether doing so was being treated as wrongdoing.
Chadha further alleged that the AAP had written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat requesting that he not be allowed to speak in the House. His remarks came after the party replaced him as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha with Ashok Kumar Mittal.
Chadha, who has been a Rajya Sabha MP since April 2022, has previously raised issues concerning grassroots governance, including concerns about the “sarpanch pati” practice, where elected women representatives are overshadowed by male relatives.
The developments संकेत ongoing tensions within the Aam Aadmi Party, as differences between senior leaders come into the public spotlight.
