AAP to form new Lokpal Committee, National Disciplinary Committee

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which yesterday sacked founder members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from the national executive, today decided to form a new Lokpal Committee and a National Disciplinary Committee to oversee the party's affairs.

Briefing the media about the decisions taken in today's national executive, AAP leader Pankaj Gupta said that a new Lokpal Committee of three members would be constituted.

"The three members are N Dilip Kumar (former IPS), Rakesh Sinha (former DIG) and Dr. S.P Verma (Educationist). We have talked with them and they agreed to talk the responsibility," he said.

"We have also formed a National Disciplinary Committee constituting three members. The chairman will be Dinesh Waghela, and Asish Khetan and Pankaj Gupta will be its members," he added.

He further said that the AAP would stage a protest outside the Parliament on April 22 against the Land Acquisition Bill.

"On 22 April, we will 'gherao' the Parliament against the Land Acquisition Bill and for this a six-member committee has been formed and the members are Ilyas Azmi, Prem Singh Pahari, Yogesh Dhaiyya, Shomendra Dhaka, Gurnam Singh and Kiran Vissa," he said.

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"Under the leadership of Sanjay Singh, a committee will be made which will ask every state about its funding and political status," he added.

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Meanwhile, Prashant Bhushan has been removed from the party's Disciplinary Committee.

Earlier on Saturday, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were ousted from the party's national executive.

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Out of the 311 national executive members present in yesterday's national council meeting, an overwhelming 247 members voted against Bhushan and Yadav while just 8 votes were cast in their favour.

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The party also removed Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha from the national executive.

Talking to the media later, Yadav slammed the national council meeting as a farce and said that democracy has been murdered.

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"Lokpal was not allowed to come to the meeting, Gopal Rai was made the chairman of the national executive in a minute, in the next minute the proposal was moved against Bhushan and me. We said that a discussion should be held on this matter to which Gopal Rai demanded a written application. When we said that we will give it in writing Manish Sisodia got up and started the voting process," said Yadav.

Bhushan on his part yesterday alleged that their supporters were beaten up by bouncers in the meeting.

"What unfolded today in the meeting was exactly what Arvind said in a sting that came out yesterday (on Friday), that we should be kicked out of the party. Goons were brought to the party, some of our MLAs were beating up people and we were not allowed to say anything in the meeting," he said.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh, however, later said the reports of scuffle during the meeting are completely baseless and untrue.

The party's internal rift had widened after Yadav and Bhushan were accused of working for party's defeat during the Delhi Assembly polls last month.