• Source:JND

Raghav Chadha, once considered a close ally of Aam Aadmi Party chief and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, finds himself at the center of political tensions following an internal power struggle.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) reportedly asked the Rajya Sabha secretariat to remove Chadha as the party’s deputy leader in the upper house. Punjab’s ruling party also requested that he not be allocated any speaking time in the House from AAP’s quota.

After his removal, Chadha released a video on Friday asserting that, "Whenever I get a chance to speak in the Parliament, I raise public issues." And maybe such topics are not usually raised in the Parliament. But is it an offence to talk about people's problems? Did I commit any crime or mistake? Have I done something wrong? Today, this question, I am asking because the Aam Aadmi Party has told the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to stop Raghav Chadha from speaking in the Parliament," he said.

Chadha questioned why his voice was being silenced. "Now, why would anyone want to stop me? Whenever I talk about people of this country, like expensive food available at airports, delivery riders having problems with Zomato or Blinkit or mixing things up in their meals, Toll Plaza loot, or bank charges loot, why do we have to strike content creators under the middle-class tax burden? How can telecom companies recharge us 13 times in 12 months and not give data rollover or stop incoming calls after the recharge is over? All these issues I raised in the House. After raising this issue, the Aam Aadmi Party has benefited. But what harm did it cause for a party," he asked.

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Following this, the AAP sent an official letter to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, appointing Ashok Kumar Mittal as the new Deputy Leader of the AAP in the Upper House, replacing Chadha.

Here Are Some Issues Raghav Chadha Talked About Recently.

1. Paternity Leave

Chadha has pushed for legal recognition of paternity leave in India.

“I demanded in Parliament that paternity leave should be a legal right in India,” he said.

“A father should not have to choose between caregiving for his newborn and keeping his job… And a mother should not have to go through childbirth & recovery without her husband’s support.”

“Caregiving is a shared responsibility,” he emphasised, noting that laws must reflect this reality.

2. Traffic crisis in metro cities

Chadha has highlighted the growing traffic congestion in major cities:

“Traffic has turned our metro cities into giant parking lots with people trapped inside them,” he said, referencing Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai.

Commuters in these cities spend “100 to 168 hours a year stuck in traffic".

“Every hour lost is an hour India cannot get back,” he added, calling for a “National Urban Decongestion Mission” with better public transport, smarter traffic systems, and a scientific parking policy.

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3. 28-day monthly recharge and ‘use it or lose it’ data

Chadha has criticised telecom practices affecting prepaid users:

'Telecom companies offer recharge plans with "daily data limits". Any unused data expires at midnight, despite being fully paid for,” he said.

“You are billed for 2GB. The remaining 0.5GB disappears as day ends. No refund. No rollover. Just gone. This is not an accident. This is policy.”

He also questioned the so-called “28-Day ‘Monthly’ Recharge scam”:

“Telecom companies call their plans ‘monthly’, but they last only 28 days,” he said, noting users effectively pay for 13 recharges a year. He urged alignment with 30–31 day cycles.

4. Menstrual health and dignity

On social issues, Chadha highlighted gaps in menstrual health infrastructure:

“When a girl misses school because there is no pad, no water, no bin and no privacy, that is not her personal problem. That is a failure of our system,” he said.

“Menstrual health is not a favour… It is a matter of health, education, equality and dignity. Women do not need sympathy. Women need rights.”

5. Airport food and ‘Udaan Yatri Cafes’

AAP leaders questioned Chadha on his stand regarding airport food costs, referencing his advocacy:

“Air travellers have long complained about the high cost of food at airports,” he said, while welcoming the government’s Udaan Yatri Cafes initiative during the Budget Session.

He flagged limited presence across airports and their placement outside security areas:

“Affordable food at airports should not be a luxury. It is a basic convenience for travellers.”

In response, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the expansion of Udaan Yatri cafes. On March 30, Chadha shared a video of him visiting the Udaan Yatri cafe at Mumbai airport and enjoying chai for just Rs 10.


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