Ghayal hoon isiliye ghatak hoon: Raghav Chadha's Dhurandhar comeback to AAP charges

In a video posted on X, Chadha denied the allegations against him, saying he was compelled to speak out before the false claims gained some credibility.

In Short

• Raghav Chadha hits out at AAP after removal as Rajya Sabha deputy leader
• AAP claims Chadha fears speaking against PM Modi, avoids key issues
• Chadha alleges 'scripted campaign' against him

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Saturday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party, two days after the party removed him as its deputy leader in the Upper House of Parliament. In a video posted on X, Chadha responded to three major allegations against him, saying he was compelled to speak out before the false claims gained some credibility.

AAP on Friday alleged the MP was afraid to speak against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, failed to back a resolution against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and had wasted his parliamentary time discussing samosas instead of pressing national issues.

"For the past few years, you have become afraid, Raghav. You are afraid to speak against Modi. You are afraid to raise the real issues of the country," AAP national media chief Anurag Dhanda said.

In his video message, Chadha alleged a "scripted campaign" against him. "The same questions and the same allegations against me. This is no coincidence but a co-ordinated attack," he alleged in the video.

CHADHA'S RESPONDS TO AAP'S ALLEGATIONS

On the allegation that he had never backed the Opposition during walkouts, Chadha challenged the party to cite at least one instance when he did not support the Opposition.

"This is a white lie. There are CCTVs all around the Parliament. Anyone can check them to get their answer," he said.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party had also accused Chadha of not signing the motion to impeach Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Responding to this, the Punjab MP said that at least 6–7 AAP MPs had also not signed the motion.

"There are 10 Rajya Sabha MPs from the AAP. But why am I being blamed for not signing the petition?" he asked.

Strongly denying AAP's charge that he was raising frivolous issues as he feared the ruling BJP, Chadha said, "I am in Rajya Sabha to raise people's issues. I am not here to create ruckus. I am here to create an impact."

Moreover, he listed out his intervention on several people-centric issues, including rising pollution in Delhi, the poor state of government schools, several issues pertaining to Punjab as well as concerns raised by railway passengers.

"Ghayal hoon, isliye ghatak hoon (I am hurt. That's why I am dangerous)," he said as he concluded his video statement with a dialogue from the Bollywood spy-thriller 'Dhurandhar'.

The party on Thursday removed Raghav Chadha from the post of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing him with AAP MP Ashok Mittal.

The decision followed Chadha's continued silence on crucial party matters, particularly his absence of response after top AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, were discharged by a lower court in the excise policy CBI case.

- Ends