A day after resigning from the Delhi Cabinet, Raaj Kumar Anand on Thursday dismissed allegations made by the AAP that he resigned due to fear. He said that his resignation was not at all due to any fear including that of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), and further said that the search conducted at his residence last year by the federal agency was only to find the money trail of the alleged excise policy scam.
“There is no threat to my kids that I left the party and my position as a minister, I am very well aware that one does not become a minister everyday,” said Anand.
Anand, talking to reporters on Thursday, further claimed that the probe agency had said that nothing was found against him during the raid.
Replying to a question, he said that had he been a part of the politics of lies, he would have still remained to be where he was till Tuesday.
Anand further said that he will not tolerate any disrespect towards the Dalits, adding that the Delhi and Punjab governments were formed with efforts put in by the Dalit community.
He had announced his resignation from the cabinet as well as the party on Wednesday, stating that he did not want to be a part of a party surrounded with corruption charges and also claimed that the AAP did not give due recognition to the Dalits.
Meanwhile, talking to a news agency over his resignation, AAP leader Kuldeep Kumar on Thursday said that Anand was in an important position in the government and there could be multiple reasons behind his resignation.
Kuldeep further said that he himself belonged to the Dalit community and he was given a ticket, while claiming that several people were given tickets by the party on general seats and also won, adding that AAP is a party which takes everybody forward together, and everybody is given the same respect in the party.
Following his resignation on Wednesday, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj had claimed that Raaj Kumar Anand might have resigned due to the pressure related to the ED, as his premises was raided by the probe agency last year and he was unde fear.
Bharadwaj, while addressing mediapersons on Wednesday, had said that the party had no hard feelings or hatred for Anand as he got scared over the speculations of being put behind bars for years.
“Everyone knows that there was an ED raid at his residence. He was under pressure and got scared. We have no complaints from him, ” the senior AAP leader had claimed.