5 Times Raghav Chadha Raised Public Issues In Parliament That Got People Talking

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Chadha, once considered a close confidant of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal, is at the centre of a political churn within his party. The AAP has written to the Rajya Sabha secretariat seeking the removal of Chadha as the party's deputy leader in the House, and proposed Punjab MP Ashok Mittal as his replacement. The party has also said that Chadha should not be allotted time for speaking in the House from the AAP's quota. This comes amid buzz over Chadha's alleged differences with the party's top leadership, his prolonged silence on matters related to the AAP, and his absence from several public events led by Kejriwal.

As Raghav Chadha makes headlines for the speculated feud with AAP's high command, here is a list of his recent interventions in the Rajya Sabha that have consistently drawn attention beyond the House.

Paternity Leave as a Legal Right

Raghav Chadha has demanded a law making paid paternity leave a legal right in India. "When a child is born, both parents are congratulated, but the responsibility of caregiving falls disproportionately on the mother," Chadha said, said in the Parliament, adding that fathers should not have to choose between jobs and family. He called it a necessary reform to support both the mother and the child, emphasising that caregiving responsibilities should not fall solely on mothers.

Parineeti Chopra hailed her husband and MP Chadha for making a case for bringing in a paternity leave law in India. Parineeti took to the comment section of Raghav's Instagram post and called him a 'thoughtful leader' who is 'solving issue after issue' for the public.

Affordable Food Items at Airports

Raghav Chadha had raised the issue of high prices of food items inside the airport, saying that access to reasonably priced food at airports should be treated as a basic facility rather than a premium service. "Affordable food at airports should not be a luxury. It is a basic convenience for travellers," Chadha said. Whether coincidental or not, soon after he raised the issue in the Parliament, UDAN Yatri cafes opened at 17 airports, which began offering samosas and tea for Rs 20 and Rs 10, respectively. Chadha was soon seen sipping chai at an airport UDAN Yatri cafe.

https://youtu.be/KPYGFaZ-7c0?si=xDlw07LEWWDoScbE

Menstrual Hygiene Matters: Chadha

Last month, Raghav Chadha had raised the issue of menstrual hygiene in Parliament, stating that it is a matter of health, education and equality, which affects over 35 crore women and girls in India. If a girl misses school because there are no sanitary pads, water, and privacy, it is not her personal problem but a collective failure. He added that society has turned a biological fact into a social taboo.The MP said that menstrual hygiene is not a charity, favour or a side issue. He added that it is a matter of health, education and equality. "Above all, it is a matter of dignity," he said.

Raghav Chadha's Campaign Against 10-Minute Delivery

Raghav Chadha campaigned against the 10-minute delivery branding by quick commerce platforms. After it was removed, Chadha thanked the Central government for the move. He also spent one day as a delivery partner to understand firsthand the pressure and challenges associated with the job, the MP said. Chadha said that the 10-minute delivery target pushed agents to take risks on the road.

Raghav Chadha on Prepaid Mobile Recharge - 12 Months, 13 Recharge

Raghav Chadha raised the issue of prepaid mobile recharge issued by companies, questioning the 28-day validity period. Chadha criticised the widely used 28-day recharge cycle, calling it "a scam." "The 28-day recharge plan is a scam. There are 12 months in a year, but you have to recharge 13 times (28 days x 13 times = 364 days)," he said.

"If your recharge runs out, it makes sense for outgoing calls to be blocked, but blocking incoming calls is arbitrary. As soon as the recharge expires, neither can anyone contact you, nor can essential messages like OTPs reach your phone. In emergency situations, the person becomes helpless," he shared on X.

Raghav Chadha Breaks Silence After AAP's Axe

In his first reaction, Chadha, later on Thursday evening, posted a video on social media highlighting issues he raised as deputy leader of the party in the House. The montage mentioned issues like tax burden on the middle class, data expiry problem, paternity leave as a right in India, and excess baggage charges at airports.

On Friday, he released a video message on X (formerly Twitter). Chadha said, "Whenever I get a chance, I raise issues concerning the people in Parliament, including topics that are often overlooked. But is it an offence to talk about people's problems? Did I commit any crime?" Chadha also hit out at his party, alleging that it had informed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to stop him from speaking in Parliament. "The AAP has informed Parliament that I should not be given a chance to speak. I would like to tell them -- do not take my silence for defeat," Chadha said. "I raised several issues that benefited aam aadmi (common man). What harm did that cause the Aam Aadmi Party? Why does anyone want to stop me from speaking?" he added.