'Democratic' Kejriwal forgets 'Swaraj'? Paragraph explaining term deleted from AAP's website

New Delhi, May 5: He hit the streets of Delhi wearing caps carrying slogans 'Mujhe Chahiye Purn Swaraj' (I want full Swaraj) and alleged no other party except the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is democratic while seeking votes during election.

But now it seems Arvind Kejriwal's party has became so allergic to the term 'Swaraj' after ousted AAP leader Yogendra Yadav launched 'Swaraj Samvad', that is has decided to remove 'Swaraj' from its official website.

The party has even deleted the paragraph mentioning the term 'Swaraj' from its webpage.

"Democracy is popular self rule, but the current practice of democracy negates this ideal and reduces the citizens to mere subjects. AAP aims to restore power to the people, so as to realise the promise of Swaraj enshrined in our Constitution."

This entire paragraph is now missing from the AAP's webpage that enrolls members/volunteers for the party.
Earlier this paragraph was followed by another one: "I am a citizen of India. I am above 18 years of age. I am not a member of any political party. I believe in the objectives and thinking of the party and I am willing to fully participate in achieving the objective of the party." The enroller had to check the box besides this text to complete the enrollment procedure.

"They may argue the Swaraj is there in the party's Constitution. They would like to relegate Swaraj to the confines of the Constitution and not put it to practice. By removing word Swaraj from the enrollment procedure, AAP wants to indirectly convey to new members that Swaraj is no more a priority for the party," Vikrant Karnik, former AAP Thane municipal district convener, was quoted by Daily Mail as saying.

Earlier on Monday, showing their support to expelled leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, nearly 350 AAP volunteers and leaders from Maharashtra quit in protest against the "murder of democracy" in the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

"As many as 350 volunteers and leaders resigned from AAP and this figure would go up when we will start to sensitise everyone about democracy being murdered in AAP," said Maruti Bhapkar, former state executive committee member of AAP unit in Maharashtra.

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