As news reports of the Aam Aadmi Party ousting Admiral Ramdas from the party’s lokpal surfaced on Thursday, the party came out and issued a statement claiming that any information suggesting the ouster of Admiral Ramdas was “misleading and based on fiction done with a malicious intent”.
According to sources, the party was planning the removal of Admiral Ramdas from the internal lokpal. However, the same was severely refuted by party spokespersons and also later on Thursday evening clarified with an official email.
Reports claimed that Ramdas was being removed as the party’s ombudsman as a section of the senior leadership in the party leadership feel that his controversial letter, which spoke of the differences within the party, worked as a the main reason for the public infighting of the party leaders. However, the party said none of this was true.
“The Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns mischievous news reports about the party’s ombudsman Admiral (retired) l Ramdas. The party terms these reports as false, misleading and based on fiction done with a malicious intent,” said a statement issued by the party late evening on Thursday.
A senior party member also told The Pioneer that the party had never even discussed the removal of Ramdas.
“He is definitely not going to be removed. All reports that
suggest otherwise are
incorrect,” he said.
The party added, “AAP holds Admiral Ramdas in high esteem and appreciates his role as an impartial lokpal, who neither interfered in the party’s decision making process nor ever make any attempt to take sides on any issue. The party outrightly rejects all frustrated attempts to drag the name of Admiral Ramdas into controversy, which is unfortunate and against all ethics. The party views as highly
inappropriate for any individual or organisation to speculate about the lokpal, which is a unique feature in Indian
political system.”
Further the party went onto say that it considers it a “privilege to have been able to convince Admiral Ramdas to take over the role of its ombudsman” and will be always “thankful” to him for having agreed to render his services for this role.
“Admiral Ramdas will continue to be an important guide for the party as it prepares to take on new responsibilities and challenges,” the party explained.