Subhash Mahajan
Dalhousie
Social activist and former candidate Manish Sareen has launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party’s top leadership, calling the removal of Raghav Chadha from his position as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha a deliberate move to silence an honest and outspoken voice.
Sareen said Chadha consistently raised issues that directly affect ordinary citizens, going beyond party boundaries. In Parliament, Chadha highlighted concerns such as rising inflation, the burden of taxes on the middle class, the need for a joint income tax system, exploitation through mobile recharge policies, the demand to recognize communication as a fundamental right, calling toll tax “legal loot,” strict action against adulterated food, rights and safety of gig workers, poor state of public healthcare, women’s dignity, India’s preparedness in artificial intelligence, soldiers’ welfare, and democratic reforms for transparency and accountability.
“These are the issues that touch the lives of common people, and that is why Raghav Chadha emerged as the voice of the nation, not just of a party,” Sareen said.
He accused AAP’s leadership, particularly Arvind Kejriwal, of being consumed by arrogance and unwilling to tolerate independent thinkers who raise people’s concerns. Sareen alleged that the party has a history of sidelining honest and high-performing leaders.
Highlighting Chadha’s contributions from Punjab to the national stage, Sareen said the treatment meted out to him shows that internal democracy within the party has collapsed. He also referred to the controversy involving Swati Maliwal as another example of suppressing dissent and hiding the truth.
Quoting Chadha’s statement — “I have been silenced, but I have not been defeated” — Sareen described the move as an attempt to stifle democratic voices in Parliament.
“Raghav Chadha is not just a party leader; he is the true representative of the common citizen. That is precisely what makes the party leadership uncomfortable,” Sareen added.
The statement was issued in the presence of Rajesh Chobhiyal, Iccha Ram Tandon, Rajat Sharma, Yograj Mahajan, and Vishal Singh.
