Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday criticised AAP MP Raghav Chadha, saying he believes Chadha is 'compromised' and has acted against the party whip.
The Chief Minister said refusing to speak on issues such as alleged vote deletion in West Bengal, avoiding walkouts in Parliament, or not raising concerns over the arrest of AAP volunteers and leaders in Gujarat, amounts to breaking the party line.
Speaking at a press briefing, Mann was responding to Chadha’s remark that he had been 'silenced, not defeated', made a day after he was removed as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.
The Aam Aadmi Party also accused Chadha of avoiding strong criticism of the Centre in Parliament and instead focusing on what it described as 'soft PR'.
AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda questioned whether a leader who is hesitant to confront Prime Minister Narendra Modi can effectively fight for public issues.
When asked directly if he considered Chadha compromised, Mann replied, “Yes.” He added that changes in parliamentary leadership positions are common within political parties.
Referring to Chadha’s removal from the deputy leader’s post, Mann said leadership roles often change. He added, "When I won elections for the first time (in 2014 from Sangrur Lok Sabha), Dr (Dharamvira) Gandhi (the then AAP MP who is now with the Congress) was made leader of the party's parliamentary board. Later, I also served in this capacity. So, the party keeps taking such decisions."
Mann said, "When we sit as opposition members in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, many decisions are taken collectively, like staging a walkout. But if anyone breaks the party line or does not obey, then it is against the whip. If you go against the party whip, then action will be taken."
Reacting to Chadha’s claim of being silenced, Mann said, "If there is a party line taken on any issue, like in Gujarat where cases have been registered against 160 AAP volunteers and leaders and if we have to speak on it, there are issues like MSP, GST and other issues, but if instead of speaking on those, someone raises issues of samosa rates, pizza delivery, won't you doubt that the person (Chadha) is speaking from some other station?"
Mann further said the party would strongly protest the arrest of AAP volunteers in Gujarat. He said, "They have been arrested in false cases, and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter. When the Gujarat chief minister gives time to meet, we will go and raise a strong objection."
Also read: ‘Silenced, not defeated’: Chadha hints at rift in AAP
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