DHAKA: India’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder member Madhu Bhaduri has accused the rookie party of shielding controversial law minister Somnath Bharti in the south Delhi raid episode.

Bhaduri’s allegations, which come close on the heels of party legislator Vinod Kumar Binny being expelled for criticising the top leadership, once again bring to fore the growing discontent in the AAP.

Bhaduri, who is part of three important committees on gender justice, foreign policy and national security, told Hindustan Times she was stepping down from all three because the AAP had now become ‘aam aadmi prejudice party’.

Bhaduri said she did not want to leave the AAP, but would be surprised if the party called her to meetings involving the committees she represented.

According to the ex-diplomat, who retired as India’s ambassador to Lisbon, she wanted the party`s national council, which met in the Capital on Friday, to adopt a resolution condemning the Khirki Extension incident.

BDST: 2000 HRS, FEB 02, 2014