blow-to-aap-delhi-cabinet-minister-raaj-kumar-anand-resigns

Delhi minister Raaj Kumar Anand on Wednesday resigned from the cabinet and quit the Aam Aadmi Party, alleging Dalits were not given representation in the party.

Addressing a press conference here, Anand, who was holding various portfolios including Social Welfare, alleged that there was no Dalit among the top leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

“This party doesn’t respect Dalit MLAs, councillors and ministers. In such circumstances, all Dalits feel cheated. We live in an inclusive society, but it is not wrong to talk about proportion. It is difficult for me to remain in the party with all these things, hence I am resigning from the post,” Anand said.

He also took a swipe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who is in Tihar jail after being remanded in judicial custody in an excise policy-linked money laundering case and has failed to get any relief from the Delhi High Court.

“From the Jantar Mantar, Arvind Kejriwal had said that the country will change once politics changes. The politics hasn’t changed but the politician has changed,” Anand, who is an MLA from the Patel Nagar constituency, said.

In response to a query on the timing of his resignation, Anand said, “It is not about timing. Till yesterday, we were under the impression that we are being framed, but after the High Court verdict, it seems that there is something wrong at our end.” The Delhi High Court on Tuesday upheld Kejriwal’s arrest and subsequent remand, saying the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was left with “little option” after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.

It also cited the ED’s claim that Kejriwal conspired and was actively involved in use and concealment of the proceeds of crime to reject his petition against his arrest.