New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha faced criticism Tuesday after a video of him “throwing down” the microphone of a reporter who allegedly arrived late for his press conference in Chandigarh on 8 January went viral.
Many journalists slammed the AAP MLA from Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar, who is the party’s Punjab co-in-charge, for his “arrogant” and “shameful” behaviour, while AAP functionaries and supporters called this a “scripted attack” on Chadha and claimed that he had “politely” put the mic aside.
In the video, shortly after Chadha allegedly throws the mic, Jarnail Singh, AAP MLA from Delhi’s Tilak Nagar, who was also present at the press conference, is seen placing it in the centre of the table.
According to another journalist, Chadha later also “called the channel owner to sack the video journalist”. AAP spokesperson Akshay Marathe has denied this claim.
The Punjab Youth Congress claimed that this wasn’t the first time AAP had displayed its “dictatorial attitude”.
While Chadha has not yet made any public statement on this, he retweeted several posts that argued that it was a “scripted attack” on him. Many users backed him, saying he “politely” put the mic aside as it was covering his phone, from which he was reading.
Marathe also defended Chadha, criticising the “ridiculous nitpicking of @raghav_chadha moving a mic that was blocking his notes”.
Ridiculous nitpicking of @raghav_chadha moving a mic that was blocking his notes. The mic arrived 13 mins into an 18 min PC. Briefing was complete, questions already answered. Clearly Raghav was preparing to wrap up. The reporter wasn't just late, they had missed the PC. https://t.co/BrhNPaIk8G
— Akshay Marathe (@AkshayMarathe) January 10, 2022
“Such desperation, simply shows lack of reasons to take on AAP in Punjab,” wrote a representative of the AAP national social media team.
Scripted attack on @raghav_chadha for simply keeping the Mic aside, amidst an on going PC, with which the journalist covered his mobile, from which he was reading.
Such Desparation, simply shows lack of reasons to take on AAP in Punjab. pic.twitter.com/tugI4vMGpk— Aarti (@aartic02) January 11, 2022
At the press conference in Chandigarh on 8 January, Chadha and Jarnail Singh spoke about various issues, including how there is “huge resentment among the people of Chandigarh because of the hidden alliance of Congress-BJP in the city”, accusing the two parties of working together to elect a BJP mayor despite the AAP having emerged as the largest bloc in the Chandigarh municipal elections in December.
(Edited by Rohan Manoj)
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