Day after quitting AAP, HS Phoolka says converting anti-corruption stir into political party was wrong

New Delhi: A day after resigning from the Aam Aadmi Party, senior advocate HS Phoolka said on Friday that converting an anti-corruption movement into a political party in 2012 was “wrong” and that he would continue his fight on various issues on a non-political platform and not seek mandate in the next parliamentary election. Addressing reporters, Phoolka said there is a need to form a movement like the one started by activist Anna Hazare in 2012 and that many who have left the AAP and others, including lawyers and doctors, need to unite to form an organisation parallel to political parties. The AAP, replying to the observations made by Phoolka, said that it was his own thought which was different when the party was formed from Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement. [caption id=“attachment_5838501” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of HS Phoolka. PTI[/caption] “It is his own thought. We were challenged by the political parties in 2012 to go to Parliament to enact legislation (on Lokpal). So we joined electoral politics and Phoolka also joined it with us and fought Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. What can I do if he has now changed his opinion,” senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told PTI. Phoolka did not give any reason for his decision to resign from AAP on Thursday, which has come amid speculation of an alliance between the ruling party in Delhi and the Congress. Sources said that Phoolka met a senior functionary of a political party in the national capital after his resignation. However, the former AAP leader refused to take any question in his press conference. Phoolka has been fighting the legal battle for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims. Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was last month convicted in a riot case. “Converting anti-corruption movement into political party in 2012 was wrong,” he said, adding, “I will not contest Lok Sabha election although after the conviction of Sajjan Kumar, people in Punjab said I could easily win from any seat.” He said that his battle would continue on a non-political platform to ensure that Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jagdish Tytler are brought to book in connection with the anti-Sikh riots. He said his resignation as MLA has not been accepted by the Speaker of Punjab Assembly, and added after resigning as Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly he was not actively involved with politics and was instead focussed on issues such as education, health and fighting the drug menace in the state. “We should raise a movement like Anna Hazare. Many who have left AAP and others, including lawyers and doctors, need to unite to form an organisation parallel to political parties,” he said. Phoolka said that he would form a big organisation within six months that would take up issues such as drug menace and politicisation of the Siromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) in Punjab. The AAP was formed by Arvind Kejriwal and others following the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare. The party has gone from strength to strength by impressive electoral gains in Delhi and Punjab. Phoolka’s resignation from the AAP has come amid speculation of a possible alliance between the Congress and the AAP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Both the parties have not clearly stated their stand on the issue so far.