Manish Sareen Critiques AAP Leadership Over Raghav Chadha's Dismissal

In a recent statement, social activist Manish Sareen has sharply criticized the Aam Aadmi Party's leadership for their decision to remove Raghav Chadha from his Deputy Leader position in the Rajya Sabha. Sareen argues that this move is an attempt to silence a voice that speaks out on critical issues affecting the public, such as inflation and healthcare. He highlights Chadha's role as a representative of the common citizen and accuses the party of stifling independent thinkers. This commentary raises questions about the internal democracy within the AAP and the treatment of its leaders.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 3, 2026, 14:57 IST

Sareen's Strong Criticism of AAP's Decision

Subhash Mahajan
Dalhousie

Social activist and former political candidate Manish Sareen has launched a fierce critique against the leadership of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), asserting that the decision to remove Raghav Chadha from his role as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha was a calculated effort to silence a candid and principled voice.

Sareen emphasized that Chadha consistently addressed issues impacting everyday citizens, transcending party lines. In his parliamentary speeches, Chadha brought attention to critical matters such as escalating inflation, the tax burden on the middle class, the necessity for a unified income tax framework, exploitation through mobile recharge practices, the call for communication to be recognized as a fundamental right, labeling toll taxes as 'legal theft,' advocating for stringent measures against food adulteration, the rights and safety of gig workers, the deteriorating state of public healthcare, women's dignity, India's readiness in artificial intelligence, the welfare of soldiers, and the need for democratic reforms to enhance transparency and accountability.

“These are the matters that resonate with the lives of ordinary people, which is why Raghav Chadha has become a national voice, not merely a party representative,” Sareen remarked.

He accused the AAP leadership, particularly Arvind Kejriwal, of being arrogant and intolerant towards independent thinkers who voice public concerns. Sareen claimed that the party has a pattern of marginalizing honest and high-achieving leaders.

Pointing out Chadha’s contributions from Punjab to the national arena, Sareen stated that the treatment he received indicates a collapse of internal democracy within the party. He also mentioned the controversy surrounding Swati Maliwal as another instance of suppressing dissent and obscuring the truth.

Quoting Chadha’s remark — “I have been silenced, but I have not been defeated” — Sareen characterized the action as an effort to suppress democratic voices in Parliament.

“Raghav Chadha is more than just a party leader; he embodies the true representation of the common citizen. This is precisely what makes the party leadership uneasy,” Sareen concluded.

The statement was made in the presence of Rajesh Chobhiyal, Iccha Ram Tandon, Rajat Sharma, Yograj Mahajan, and Vishal Singh.