Reacting to AAP Punjab unit charges, Chadha says Punjab is ‘my soul’

New Delhi: “Punjab is not a topic for me. It is my commitment. It is my soul,” alienated AAP MP Raghav Chadha On Sunday, while rebutting the allegations made by the AAP Punjab unit chief a day ago, he said that despite repeated communications, he failed to raise issues affecting the state in the Assembly.The melee began after Chadha, a Lok Sabha MP from Punjab, was sacked by the AAP as deputy leader of the party in the Upper House on Thursday. The two sides have been pitted against each other ever since.Chadha posted a video message onHe highlighted a wide range of issues related to Punjab that he had raised in the House of Lords and dismissed the allegations against him as “baseless and maliciously motivated” and “directly contradicted by the official parliamentary record”.Chadha also issued a written statement. “One of the major allegations against me is that I did not raise the issue of pending funds in Punjab with the Centre. This is completely untrue. I made this request clearly on July 31, 2024 and the record is available on Sansad TV,” Chadha said.Chadha said he had raised the pending RDF dues issue and opposed the financial injustice being done to Punjab. He went on to list other issues including the alarming groundwater depletion crisis; farmers’ crisis including MSP concerns, rising input costs and farming distress; need for more support to Punjab’s agricultural economy; drug menace, need for stronger institutional response and issues related to national security at borders, among others.“My role as an MP has never been to indulge in noise, drama or performative anger. I go into Parliament to make an impact, not to create a ruckus,” he added.The RS MP warned: “No smear campaign can silence my voice or weaken my resolve. Truth will prevail. Facts will prevail. Every lie will be exposed.”