'Rajniti nahi badli, rajneta badal gaye': AAP minister Raaj Kumar Anand resigns from party

New Delhi: Delhi Social Welfare minister Raaj Kumar Anand resigned from his position and also from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday alleging corruption in the party.

Addressing a press conference announcing his resignation, Raaj Kumar Anand said that he does not wish to be 'involved in any corrupt practices' adding that it has become difficult for him to continue in the position.

"I am a minister in Delhi government, I have seven departments. Today I am very sad, so I have come to share my sorrow. I came into politics when Arvind Kejriwal had said that 'Rajniti badlegi toh desh badlega'(if politics changes, the country will change). 'Rajniti toh nahi badli, lekin rajneta badal gaye' (But sadly today politics has not changed, but politicians have changed," Raaj Kumar Anand said while addressing the press conference on Wednesday.

"Aam Aadmi Party was born out of a movement against corruption but today this party itself have fallen into a swamp of corruption. For me, continuing to serve this government as a minister is putting me in an uncomfortable position. So I am resigning from this party, my ministerial position thereby this government because I do not wish to link my name with corrupts. I don't think we have any moral strength left to govern," he added.

He further alleged that acting on Ambedkar's ideals is just 'talk' 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 the 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," he 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 organization.

There is no Dalit in charge of any state. In such a situation, all the Dalits are feeling cheated," Anand said.

He questioned the alleged neglect of individuals from Dalit or backward class communities or women among the 13 Rajya Sabha MPs selected from the Aam Aadmi Party.

"Reservation is a constitutional compulsion, but when it comes to representation, when the Dalit community talks about sending its people. There are 13 Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party, but not a single one of them is a Dalit or a backward class or a woman," he said.

"Last year, many research fellows were recruited in the Assembly, but not a single Dalit was taken among them. If I were not to do this work, then what should I do here? It is not wrong to talk about representation and proportion," he added.

"After what the High Court said yesterday, it seemed that everything is clear now. For namesake, they appoint a Dalit minister and then the corner meeting starts," Anand 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 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.