Educationist and child rights lawyer Ashok Agarwal resigned from the Aam AAdmi Party on Tuesday, saying – ironically, the party worked like a “private limited company” with an aim to promote “elite individuals.”

Agarwal, a lawyer distinguished by his legal battles for primary education to children from disadvantaged groups and the disabled, sent his resignation to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is the National Convenor of AAP.

In his strongly worded letter, Agarwal wrote: “Lately, things seem to have changed and the objectives for which it was created are getting lost. The movement seems to have become directionless, causing doubts in the mind of people and even in those like me who are feeling that the party is functioning like a private limited company.”

The letter adds: “The connect with ‘aam aadmi’ is on the wean and a group of elite individuals is promoted to take over the party. Aam aadmi vision has taken a backseat and what is on the mind of such individuals is personal projection at the cost of that very aam aadmi vision.”

Speaking to Indian Express, Agarwal said that the trigger to take this step was the contentious manner in which the party decided to distribute tickets for the general elections.

“Those in decision-making authority are non-responsive and discourteous. The primary concern seems to have become hit headlines and endorse elite personalities. This is in stark contrast to what the AAP really wanted to stand for,” he said.

Agarwal is known for his indefatigable fighs for good schooling for the national capital’s poor and powerless. His PILs through ‘Social Jurist’ — a lawyers’ collective set up by Agarwal, has brought about changes in admission irregularities, the abysmal lack of basic amenities, and dereliction of duty by teachers and principals in state-run schools.

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