Delhi Leader of Opposition and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi on Friday criticised her colleague and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha for not addressing key issues affecting ordinary citizens during a national crisis, including a significant shortage of LPG gas.
Atishi accused Chadha of hesitating to support the impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). Sharing a video on X, she stated, “Some questions I have for Raghav Chadha. Today, our nation is passing through an immense crisis. There is a grave threat to our Constitution, the West Bengal election is being stolen through the blatant misuse of the Election Commission, yet you are not raising any questions; why are you seemingly afraid to speak out against it?”
She added, “When the TMC and other opposition parties bring forth an impeachment motion against the Election Commission, you refuse to sign it.”
Turning to economic concerns, Atishi said, “Today, the most significant crisis facing the common man is the shortage of LPG gas. You are an influential person, so perhaps you do not face these hardships, but a common citizen is struggling even to cook a meal for their child.”
She continued, “Today, everyone in this country must decide whether they stand with PM Modi, or with the Constitution and our democracy.”
Separately, AAP leader Anurag Dhanda responded to Chadha following his removal as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. Dhanda said in an X post that Chadha has been “scared” for several years and hesitant to speak against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier, Chadha criticised the party after being removed as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha. On X, he said his silence in Parliament should not be seen as defeat and questioned why he was prevented from speaking.
He commented, “Whenever I get a chance to speak in the Parliament, I raise public issues. And perhaps I raise topics that are not usually raised in the Parliament. But is raising public issues a crime? Have I committed a crime? Have I made a mistake? Have I done something wrong?”
Chadha further alleged, “AAP has told the Rajya Sabha Secretariat that Raghav Chadha should be stopped from speaking in the Parliament. Yes, the AAP has informed the Parliament that Raghav Chadda should not be given a chance to speak in the Parliament.”
On Thursday, the AAP sent an official letter to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat naming Ashok Kumar Mittal as the new Deputy Leader of AAP in the Upper House. Mittal replaced Chadha in this role.
Raghav Chadha has been an MP since April 2022 and has raised multiple issues in Parliament. Last month, he expressed concerns about the practice of “sarpanch pati” or “panchayat pati,” where women elected to reserved Panchayat seats often serve as figureheads while male relatives hold real power.
He urged the government to ensure that women representatives in local bodies can exercise real authority as intended under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.