“An anti-Dalit party”: Former Delhi minister Raaj Kumar Anand on Speaker cancelling his Assembly membership

New Delhi [India], June 15 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Raaj Kumar Anand who was disqualified from the Delhi Assembly by the Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has alleged that the decision was done as he hailed from a Dalit background.

Anand, a former minister in the AAP government had joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and contested the Lok Sabha elections from the New Delhi seat also termed the Aam Aadmi Party as “anti-Dalit”.

“I came to know from the media that my membership has been cancelled. I was not given any time. Right now, no work is being done in Delhi. The people of Delhi are helpless because there is a water crisis. In such a situation, it is not right to suspend an ex-party member,” Anand said.

“I come from a Dalit background. The speaker of the assembly should have given time to this but he did not do so, which is very sad. This is an anti-Dalit party and this has been proven once again. This was the reason I left the party,” Anand added.

The Delhi MLA further said that he will approach the court. “I will take the legal opinion after the order receipt comes. If this decision has been taken legally, then it is fine, but if it is not, then I will go to court,” Raaj Kumar Anand said.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, while cancelling the membership of Anand, said that he was given three opportunities to present his side. However, he did not respond to the notice and didn’t appear personally for a hearing.

Responding to this, the disqualified lawmaker said that he was indisposed and couldn’t visit to present his side.

“I was ill. The speaker has my number also, he could’ve contacted me,” Raaj Kumar Anand said.

Anand, who was the social welfare minister of Delhi, resigned from Kejriwal’s cabinet on April 10, accusing the party of corruption and ignoring Dalits.