Chandigarh: As the Aam Aadmi Party’s top leadership languishes in custody ahead of the national elections, prominent leader and parliamentarian Raghav Chadha’s lengthy absence from India has set tongues wagging about its untimeliness and even possible objective.
The young MP, considered party chief Arvind Kejriwal’s “blue-eyed boy”, had gone to London in the first week of March with his actor wife Parineeti Chopra — lecturing, and posing for photos with British-Indian legislators, among whom was Labour Party MP Preet Kaur Gill, a supporter of the Khalistani cause.
The snap with Gill was the day before Kejriwal became the first sitting chief minister to be arrested – taken in by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged role in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy of 2021-2022. His former deputy Mansish Sisodia and MP Sanjay Singh are also in prison in the same case.
Though Chadha added a disclaimer to that later — saying he had not officially met anyone, only obliged request for photos at Westminster — the irony was not lost either on allies and the BJP, which is in Opposition to the AAP in Punjab. The 35-year-old is a Rajya Sabha MP from the state.
PS: apart from attending Prime Minister Questions, I didn’t hold any meetings due to my schedule. But some MPs and visitors did approach me for photos as I left Westminster.
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 21, 2024
According to news agency PTI, Chadha is in London for a vitrectomy, a type of eye surgery to prevent retinal detachment. As Chadha continues to stay in the UK, elusive about his date of return, friends and foes have begun to weigh the reasons behind his prolonged sojourn.
On Wednesday, AAP MLA from Amritsar West Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh indirectly questioned Chadha’s decision to stay away after party MP Sushil Rinku joined the BJP that day. In a post on Facebook, Singh said, “mistakes had been made, distances created with those who are our own”. “Yet in these tough times, someone has left to join another party, while another has made an excuse of getting medical treatment and gone abroad,” Singh wrote.
Several AAP leaders are also unhappy that Chadha was staying away. One of them said the rumour in Punjab was that the Rajya Sabha MP would cross over to the BJP, taking along several state MLAs.
“We keep getting embarrassing queries and WhatsApp messages. Such rumour-mongering in the middle of elections is not good for the party. Chadha should return to India and set everything right as is expected of him,” he said.
The BJP was quick to pounce on Chadha’s photo with the controversial Labour MP during his visit to the House of Commons on 20 March.
BJP leader Amit Malviya delivered a strong rebuke to Chadha by referring to Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita’s recent statement about the “forces within and outside India that are weakening the country”.
After her husband was arrested, Sunita had said, “We have to be alert, identify these forces and defeat them”.
Saying he agreed with her completely, Malviya questioned what Chadha was doing with someone who “openly advocated, raised funds for protests in front of the Indian high commission in the UK and posted anti-India, anti-Modi propaganda on her social media accounts”.
“Elections have been announced in India. But Raghav Chadha, Arvind Kejriwal’s blue eyed boy, is in London! Why? Why is Chadha in touch with Preet Gill?”
“We learn through media plants that he is in the UK for an ‘eye surgery’. If so, what happened to the ‘transformation’ in Delhi’s health services? Is the advertised ‘Delhi Model’ a sham? Why is he getting the eye surgery done abroad and not in a Delhi Govt hospital? Too many questions for AAP leaders, but no answers…” Malviya posted.
Sunita Kejriwal, wife of jailed Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, says, “There are several forces within and outside India that are weakening the country. We have to be alert, identify these forces and defeat them…”
Agree with her completely.
She may want to explain what is AAP MP… pic.twitter.com/a8jajd1cNq
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) March 23, 2024
Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, who has raked up Chadha’s absence even before Kejriwal’s arrest, told the media last week that the young MP, who behaved as the “super chief minister”, had “run away” the moment he got an opportunity.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira asked Chadha to return to India and fight for his party, and not merely defend Kejriwal from “cosy foreign shores”.
You’re 100% wrong @raghav_chadha Mr @ArvindKejriwal had finished @AamAadmiParty ideology the day he threw out people like @pbhushan1 @DharamvirGandhi @hsphoolka and many many more! Today Aap only has tiny sycophants like you @AtishiAAP etc to defend him! All your allegations of… https://t.co/7b99QC2ul3
— Sukhpal Singh Khaira (@SukhpalKhaira) March 22, 2024
‘This is Kejriwal!’
Meanwhile, Chadha has made frequent attempts on social media to express his admiration for how his “brother” Kejriwal held up in custody.
After the Delhi chief minister’s ED remand was extended by another four days by a court on Thursday, the MP marvelled at how Kejriwal only spoke about Bhagwant Mann’s newborn daughter to the media.
“He got one opportunity to speak and he chose to congratulate his younger brother Bhagwant Mann on the arrival of his baby girl. This is Kejriwal – a brother, a true leader!” Chadha gushed.
He got one opportunity to speak and he chose to congratulate his younger brother Bhagwant Mann on the arrival of his baby girl.
This is Kejriwal — a brother, a true leader! pic.twitter.com/DoDvbzCNAy
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 28, 2024
Earlier in the day, Chadha also congratulated the Punjab chief minister on the birth of his daughter.
ਮੇਰੇ ਵੱਡੇ ਵੀਰ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਮਾਨ ਜੀ ਅਤੇ ਭਾਬੀ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਘਰ ਬੇਟੀ ਪੈਦਾ ਹੋਣ ਤੇ ਬਹੁਤ ਬਹੁਤ ਮੁਬਾਰਕਾਂ। ਪ੍ਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਅੱਗੇ ਨੰਨ੍ਹੀ ਪਰੀ ਦੀ ਤੰਦਰੁਸਤੀ ਅਤੇ ਉੱਜਵਲ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਦੀ ਕਾਮਨਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ।
Mere vadde veer Bhagwant Mann Ji ate bhabhi ji de ghar beti paida hon te bahut bahut mubarka.Parmatma agge nanhi pari di… pic.twitter.com/KnZmu7lM8x
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 28, 2024
After Kejriwal was arrested on 21 March, Chadha wrote from London: “India is under an undeclared Emergency. Our democracy stands critically endangered today.”
India is under an undeclared Emergency. Our democracy stands critically endangered today.
Arvind Kejriwal is the second democratically elected opposition CM to be arrested ahead of the upcoming elections. What are we heading towards?
India has never seen such blatant misuse…
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 21, 2024
Later, he also issued a video message in Kejriwal’s support.
केजरीवाल सिर्फ़ एक व्यक्ति का नहीं, बल्कि एक सोच का नाम है।
केजरीवाल के शरीर को तो गिरफ़्तार कर लोगे, उनकी सोच को नहीं कर पाओगे। pic.twitter.com/ciZCUaaP5x
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 22, 2024
The London itinerary
Chadha left for London to speak at his alma mater London School of Economics (LSE). On 8 March, Chadha posted on X:
“Namaste England! I’ll be speaking at the London India Forum hosted at the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, London School of Economics tomorrow. Looking forward to engaging in scintillating discussions and exploring campus once again. Watch this space @LSEnews.”
The next day he put out photos of the interactive session.
Delighted to have had an interactive session at London India Forum 2024, hosted at the LSE. Engaging in dialogue at the institution that shaped me is always a privilege. Grateful for the enriching opportunity. #LSE #LondonIndiaForum2024 pic.twitter.com/G0qgXfU7EY
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 10, 2024
On 20 March, Labour MP from Stockport Navendu Mishra posted about hosting Chadha and Parineeti at the Palace of Westminster. “We discussed the important relations between Britain and India, and how to further strengthen our ties,” he said.
It was wonderful to host @raghav_chadha and Parineeti Chopra at the Palace of Westminster today with @VirendraSharma.
We discussed the important relations between Britain and India, and how to further strengthen our ties 🇬🇧 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/D9hX5G5Wzn
— Navendu Mishra (@NavPMishra) March 20, 2024
Chadha acknowledged Mishra’s post and posted pictures of him and his wife’s invitation cards saying: “Yesterday, we had the opportunity to visit the Palace of Westminster – to attend the Prime Minister’s Question Session at the House of Commons. I’m grateful to the Hon’ble Speaker for having us view the proceedings from the Speaker’s Private Gallery. I thank MP @NavPMishra ji and MP @VirendraSharma ji for the invitation and gracious hospitality.”
Yesterday, we had the opportunity to visit the Palace of Westminister – to attend the Prime Minister’s Question Session at the House of Commons. I'm grateful to the Hon’ble Speaker for having us view the proceedings from the Speaker’s Private Gallery.
I thank MP @NavPMishra ji… https://t.co/U3VBNWDg1e pic.twitter.com/8LCafet7Z3
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 21, 2024
The same day Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill posted a picture of her meeting with Chadha in Parliament, saying: “I look forward to a discussion around global health security and antimicrobial resistance.”
Great to meet @raghav_chadha in Parliament. – He is a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, India. I look forward to a discussion around global health security and antimicrobial resistance. pic.twitter.com/9Gz6gc7TZi
— Preet Kaur Gill MP (@PreetKGillMP) March 20, 2024
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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