The remark came in response to Chadha’s statement that he had been “silenced, not defeated” after being removed as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. In a video message, Chadha questioned the decision, asking why anyone would want to stop him from raising public issues in Parliament.
Also Read: ‘Main dariya hoon, waqt aane par sailaab banunga’: Raghav Chadha says he is silenced, not defeated in a message to ‘aam aadmi’
“How can one do politics with this much fear?” Bharadwaj said, as he accused Chadha of failing to take on the government effectively in Parliament. “If the opposition walks out on an important issue, you don’t. For a while, you did not raise any matter in the House which was critical of either the Prime Minister or the BJP government,” he added.
Bharadwaj also alleged that Chadha had been selective in raising issues, saying he avoided speaking on Punjab despite representing the state in the Upper House. He further claimed that Chadha remained silent on cases involving party workers, stating that around 140 AAP workers in Gujarat were facing FIRs or arrests in what he termed false cases.
In a sharper attack, Bharadwaj said Chadha had refused to sign a motion related to the impeachment of the Chief Election Commissioner, and criticised his absence during a critical juncture for the party. “When Arvind Kejriwal was arrested, you were not even in the country and were hiding somewhere else,” he said.Also Read: Why Raghav Chadha was removed as AAP’s Rajya Sabha deputy leader: Is all well in Kejriwal-led party? Here’s what Ashok Mittal said
Invoking a popular phrase, Bharadwaj remarked “jo dar gaya samjho mar gaya,” underscoring his criticism that politics requires courage and assertiveness. “We need to raise the real issues while being unafraid and brave… please see carefully where you started and where you have reached,” he added.
The Aam Aadmi Party has replaced Chadha with Ashok Mittal as deputy leader, with Sanjay Singh confirming that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat had been formally notified. While party leaders have termed the move routine, the escalating exchange signals growing internal friction.
