“Afraid to speak against Modi…”: AAP Rebuts Raghav Chadha’s ‘Silenced’ Claim, Senior Leaders Launch Sharp Attack

The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday rebutted Raghav Chadha’s claims that he had been “silenced” after his removal as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, with senior leaders launching a sharp counterattack. The party’s response came soon after Chadha released a video message asserting he had been “silenced, not defeated”, and questioning why he was allegedly being prevented from speaking in Parliament.

AAP national media head Anurag Dhanda accused Chadha of avoiding confrontation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and failing to raise substantive 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,” Dhanda said. He also criticised Chadha’s parliamentary focus, adding, “In that time, we can either fight to save the country or talk about making samosas cheaper at airport canteens.”

Dhanda further alleged that Chadha did not stand with the party on key occasions, including when AAP workers were arrested in Gujarat, and claimed he avoided supporting resolutions against the Centre. “When the party walked out of the House, he remained seated to mark his attendance to Modi,” he said.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh echoed similar concerns, accusing Chadha of distancing himself from party positions. “Whenever a motion regarding various national issues is introduced in Parliament, you do not sign it, you do not lend your support. You do not raise your voice against Modi. You remain silent on numerous issues concerning the public interest,” Singh said.

Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj also criticised Chadha, accusing him of engaging in “soft PR” instead of directly confronting the government. “Raghav Bhai… ‘jo dar gaya, samjho mar gaya’,” Bharadwaj said, stressing that political leadership requires courage.

He added that Chadha had avoided raising issues even concerning his own constituency. “How can politics function in fear like this? We must raise the issues of Punjab… yet you hesitate even there,” he said. Bharadwaj also alleged that Chadha was absent during crucial moments. “Arvind Kejriwal ji… was even arrested in a false case, and you were not in the country – you went into hiding,” he added.

This comes after the party’s decision to replace Chadha with Ashok Mittal as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, a move that has intensified speculation of internal discord. Once seen as a close aide of party chief Arvind Kejriwal, Chadha’s removal and the subsequent public exchanges mark a significant flashpoint within the party’s parliamentary leadership.​