'Will not tolerate insult of Dalits': Raaj Kumar Anand after quitting from AAP
Apr 11, 2024
New Delhi [India], April 11 : A day after announcing his resignation, former Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raaj Kumar Anand said that he will not tolerate the 'insult of Dalits'.
Anand resigned from AAP and as minister of Kejriwal's cabinet on Wednesday, alleging corruption in the party.
"I called for a press conference for this. I want to make it clear that I have not come here in the fear of ED. The ED raided my residence to find a trail of money for the liquor scam. If I had continued to believe in this politics of lies, I would still be where I was," the former AAP leader said.
"Yesterday, Saurabh Bhardwaj said, Dalit, poor, weak. Are all Dalits weak and poor?. I will not tolerate the insult of Dalits," he added.
While addressing a press conference after announcing his resignation, Anand alleged that acting on Ambedkar's ideals is just 'talk' for the ruling party and that the Dalit MLAs and ministers in the party are not respected.
"Baba Saheb Ambedkar had given the mantra of Pay Back to Society; because of that, despite being a businessman, I first joined an NGO, then became a public representative and then a minister so that I could serve the people. I came to give something to society from my side. That is why I stood with Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal, who talk about following Baba Saheb's ideals, put Baba Saheb's photo in every press conference and every government office, but there is only talk," Anand said.
"There is no respect for Dalit MLAs and ministers in this party. There is no Dalit among their leading leaders in the government or organisation. There is no Dalit in charge of any state. In such a situation, all the Dalits are feeling cheated," he added.
Anand faced raids by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) earlier in November last year in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam.
Reportedly, around nine premises linked to Anand, including his official residence, were raided by the ED.
Anand was elected to the Delhi assembly in 2020 and he represents the Patel Nagar assembly constituency. He holds multiple portfolios in the Kejriwal cabinet, including Social Welfare, SC and ST, Gurudwara elections, and Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
Before joining AAP, Anand was a businessman and was pictured beside Kejriwal in the Anna-Hazare-led movement against corruption in 2011.
