Delhi Minister Raaj Kumar Anand Resigns, Citing AAP Have Fallen Into A Swamp Of Corruption: Delhi Social Welfare minister, Raaj Kumar Anand, has tendered his resignation from both his ministerial position and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Anand, addressing a press conference, cited corruption within the party as the reason behind his decision. He expressed disappointment that despite his initial entry into politics with the hope of change, he found that “politics has not changed, but politicians have changed.“
Anand, who holds seven departments in the Delhi government, emphasized his unwillingness to be associated with corrupt practices. He lamented the apparent deviation of AAP from its founding principles of fighting against corruption, stating that the party itself had become ensnared in a swamp of corruption.
The former minister highlighted the lack of respect for Dalit MLAs and ministers within the party, claiming that despite AAP’s rhetoric about following B.R. Ambedkar’s ideals, there was only empty talk. Anand questioned the absence of Dalit representation among the party’s leading leaders and criticized the selection of Rajya Sabha MPs, none of whom were from Dalit or backward class communities or women.
Anand’s resignation comes amid controversy, with him facing raids by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in November of the previous year in connection with an alleged liquor policy scam. Despite this, he was elected to the Delhi assembly in 2020, representing the Patel Nagar assembly constituency.
Before his foray into politics, Anand was a businessman and was notably pictured alongside Arvind Kejriwal during the Anna Hazare-led movement against corruption in 2011. Anand’s decision to resign marks another twist in the political landscape of Delhi, raising questions about the AAP’s commitment to its founding principles and the representation of marginalized communities within the party.
Read Also: