Kejriwal camp boots out rebel leaders at chaotic national council meeting on Saturday
The outfit had taken birth to give shape to commom person's aspiration but what transpired on Saturday morning does not make any sense to aam aadmi, looking for an alternative to Indian political culture. At the Aam Aadami Party's national council meeting there was hooting, slogan shouting, allegations of cheating and physical assaults.
Founding members of the party Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were sacked from its national executive. on Saturday, followimh this development senior AAP leader and activist Medha Patkar quit the party. She made the announcement at a hurriedly convened media conference. "I never accepted any position of the party but as senior member and an activist the disappointment is there," Patkar said.
The events of Saturday were anti-thesis of what the AAP had promised the people. Heavy contingents of police and RAF have been deployed in the vicinity of Calista resort in Kapahsera border, where NC members were allowed inside after registering at a counter.Members who failed to show identification, mobile number, and SMS invite were denied entry in the meeting.
At a press conference later, the two said the national council meeting earlier in the day which passed a resolution on their ouster from the national executive was staged and charged that their point of view was not even heard.They accused party convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his camp of unethical practices and thrashing members who supported them.
"As soon as we reached there, I was greeted with 'Murdabad' slogans," Yadav said.He said he found that "only a selected few were allowed to go inside the meeting venue", following which he briefly held a sit-in only to join the meeting after some time."No procedure was followed in the meeting," Yadav said.
Yadav said the meeting was chaotic.He said one of their colleagues who asked Kejriwal to listen to them was led out of the meeting and thrashed.
Yadav and Bhushan alleged that Kejriwal's supporters of using violence against them and their supporters inside the National Council meeting venue.
"Arvind Kejriwal was provoking the workers, while ending his address, Kejriwal said that he would resign," said Yadav. The rebel alleged that the people who asked for discussion over the issue were physically assaulted. "The assaulters were not party workers but professional bouncers," he said.
Prashant Bhushan alleged Kejriwal was a dictator and said, "I failed in my attempt to curb his dictatorial tendency in AAP." Talking about the sting done by party leader Umesh Singh, Bhushan Said, "I am ashamed to say that whatever was revealed about Arvind Kejriwal in the sting yesterday was executed today."
"Goons were brought to the meeting. Our supporters were beaten up inside the meeting. The meeting was a total farce," he added.
Kejriwal was heard purportedly using expletives against dissident leaders Yadav and Bhushan and even threatening to form a new party.
Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia said, "the meeting was peaceful and proper voting was conducted." Claiming a clear majority Sisodia said, "Out of all present members eight members supported Yadav and Bhushan, 254 voted for their removal while 54 members abstained from voting."
