One of the 10 advisers/consultants appointed by the Aam Aadmi Party government who were sacked on Tuesday, Raghav Chadha, on Wednesday said he had “returned” the ₹2.50 he earned for his 75-day stint as adviser to the Finance Minister in 2016.
At a press conference, Mr. Chadha, who is a national spokesperson and member of the national executive of the AAP, said he had made a demand draft for ₹2.50 to be paid to the Union Home Affairs Ministry. It was following a clarification from the Ministry that the Delhi government’s General Administration Department cancelled the appointment of 10 advisers. The Health Department also cancelled the appointment of a consultant.
Mr. Chadha said he had been appointed as an adviser to Finance Minister Manish Sisodia from January 15 to March 31, 2016 to assist with the work of preparing the budget. For that, he earned a token salary of ₹1 per month.
Writing to Home Minister Rajnath Singh with the demand draft, Mr. Chadha said, “While we cannot change what is in the past, please accept enclosed a demand draft of ₹2.50 in favour of ‘Ministry of Home Affairs’ that I earned in my capacity as adviser as a token of my remorse.”
‘Political arrogance’
He also said the BJP had appointed a surgeon, Dr. Sambit Patra, and a former journalist, Shazia Ilmi, being appointed directors of ONGC and Engineers India Ltd. respectively.
Speaking at the press conference, AAP leader Dilip K. Pandey added that the decision was taken by the BJP due to political arrogance.
