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Raghav Chadha under fire for 'send them to tribal affairs as punishment posting' comment
Raghav Chadha, during the interview, said he knew that his comment was politically incorrect but he said he was just giving an example. “Please take it in the right spirit,” the Rajya Sabha MP said after making a statement that tribal affairs posting is a punishment while home ministry and health ministry postings are rewards.
Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha has come under fire on Twitter as a clip of his recent interview is doing the rounds on the social media platform. During the interview, the AAP leader said government officers can't be fired, but they can be transferred and those who are not doing a good job can be transferred to departments like tribal affairs as 'punishment'. "If you don't do that, who is going to listen to you?" Raghav Chadha said. As the interviewer said that the statement is somewhat politically incorrect, the AAP leader said he was just giving an example and it could be animal husbandry or horticulture instead of tribal affairs.
As the clip went viral with several BJP leaders slamming the AAP Rajya Sabha member, Bharatiya Yuva Morcha national vice president Abhinav Prakash said, "So according to Raghav Chadha tribal affairs is equivalent to horticulture and animal husbandry? AAP is full of little fascists and racists. It’s a grave threat to democracy."
Calling Raghav Chadha an elitist, Delhi BJP's Vinit Goenka said the "Aam Aadmi" thinks the posting in tribal affairs department is punishment. "Arvind Kejriwal & his pseudo-intellectual gang is getting exposed. How many more days can you deceive the common man?" he wrote.
Former AAP leader and Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav said he feels shameful that he had seen hopes in a young leader like Raghav Chadha.
'Take it in the right spirit': What Raghav Chadha said in the interview
Raghav Chadha was asked about the biggest struggle of his government. "Now we have two governments by God's grace. But if you are talking about Delhi, the major issue is since our government has been elected, all the powers have been withdrawn from it," Raghav Chadha said.
"If the chief minister can't appoint his 'chaprasi', then how will he/she make them work? You can't fire a government official. You can only transfer them. If someone is working very well, you will give them a good department -- make them health secretary or send them to the home department. And if someone is doing a bad job, send them to tribal affairs as punishment posting. Something of that sort, right?" Raghav Chadha said with a smile.
The interviewer burst into laughter and said this is a slightly politically incorrect statement. "I know it's incorrect but I am trying to make you understand. Send them to Horticulture or to the animal husbandry department. I am giving you an example. Please take it in the right spirit," the MP said.
"But if you can't do that (transfer), why would anyone listen to you?" Raghav Chadha said.
