“Silenced, not defeated…”: Raghav Chadha Hits Back at AAP After Rajya Sabha Reshuffle

A day after being removed as the Aam Aadmi Party’s Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, Raghav Chadha on Friday responded with a video message, questioning the decision and asserting that he had been “silenced, not defeated”.

In the video, Chadha defended his record in Parliament, stating that he consistently raises public concerns, including issues often overlooked in debates. “Is it a crime to raise the issues of the common man? Did I do something wrong?” he asked, questioning whether highlighting people’s issues could be considered wrongdoing. He further alleged that the party had formally requested the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to prevent him from speaking. “Why should anyone stop me from speaking in Parliament?” Chadha said.

Listing his interventions, Chadha said he had spoken on a range of public concerns, including rising food prices at airports, the working conditions of delivery personnel, food adulteration, toll charges and banking fees. He also pointed to challenges faced by the middle class, such as taxation, telecom recharge policies and data restrictions, questioning why raising such matters should invite disciplinary action.

Concluding his message, Chadha thanked supporters and sought their continued backing. “I am here because of you, and I am here for you,” he said, adding that while his right to speak may have been curtailed, he remained committed to representing people’s concerns.

The development follows a reshuffle within the Aam Aadmi Party, which has appointed Ashok Mittal as the new Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Chadha. The party has formally communicated the change to the Secretariat. Reports suggest that the party also requested that speaking time not be allotted to Chadha in his previous capacity, fuelling speculation about internal differences. AAP currently has 10 members in the Upper House, the majority of whom are from Punjab, the only state where the party is in power.

The move drew criticism from opposition leaders. BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri questioned how a Member of Parliament could be prevented from speaking, while Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said the episode indicated that “all is not well” within the party. The reshuffle comes against the backdrop of earlier signs of friction within the party, including reported differences involving Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.​