AAP rebel hits out at CM Kejriwal over farmer Gajendra Singh's suicide, Tomar's degree

By PTI

| Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2015, 11:10 [IST]

Ahmedabad, Apr 29: Expelled Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Anand Kumar on Thursday slammed the party over the alleged suicide of Rajasthan-based farmer at Jantar Mantar rally in Delhi, saying he was an innocent man who was "sacrificed".

"They (AAP members) call us idealistic, while they think that they are pragmatic. A person with a fake degree has been made a minister (in Delhi) and a farmer, who tried to ask question, that innocent one was sacrificed in mysterious circumstances. If that is their pragmatism, then definitely we are not going to support that," professor Kumar said, speaking to PTI.

Kumar was expelled from the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP along with Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav. Gajendra Singh, from Rajasthan's Dausa, hanged himself during a rally at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, addressed by the Chief Minister Kejriwal and other senior leaders earlier this month.

While Delhi law minister Jitender Singh Tomar is now at the centre of a controversy with the allegation that his college degree is fake. Kumar, on a visit here for personal reasons, said he and other dissidents did not believe in tags such as rebels or anti-Kejriwal.

[Congress demands sacking of Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar]

"Some people wanted to make the party person-centric. It was a conflict between idealistic and individualistic elements. We have tried to give an alternative politics. We believe in improving ourselves and others. But they don't believe in improving, nor do they allow others to make their point. We don't believe in the tags of anti-Kejriwal or rebel group, but we have certainly been expelled," he said.

'Swaraj Samvad' would be held in Gujarat on May 25 and Yogendra Yadav will also attend it, he said, adding that they would also hold protest against the controversial Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Bill and the Land Acquisition Bill.

Asked whether the dissidents' group will contest the coming civic elections in Gujarat, Kumar said it will be decided after consulting the people on May 25.

PTI