Anti-corruption movement ending with a political party was wrong: Former Punjab MLA H S Phoolka

Phoolka also said that while many people urged him to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he has decided against it. “We need another movement like the one started by Anna Hazare, someone who can call a spade a spade. A movement like that can start again.”

AAP MLA HS Phoolka, who resigned from Aam Admi Party (AAP) did not take any questions on the party. (PTI Photo)

A day after he resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), lawyer and former Punjab MLA H S Phoolka said that the decision to dissolve the anti-corruption movement spearheaded by Anna Hazare was wrong. “Being in politics for five years taught me that the movement in 2012 should not have ended with the formation of a political party,” he said. Phoolka also said that while many people urged him to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he has decided against it. “We need another movement like the one started by Anna Hazare, someone who can call a spade a spade. A movement like that can start again,” he said.

Phoolka did not take any questions on the AAP. Phoolka had handed over his resignation to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday. According to party officials, he was asked to reconsider his decision.

Talking about his plans, Phoolka said he intends to start an organisation which will work against drug abuse in Punjab. He said he will also work on depoliticising the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

“The SGPC is an organisation that does a lot of social work across the state, but sadly it is in the control of one political party. They work only for the political gain of that party. I want to end that,” he said, adding that he would not contest the SGPC elections.

On his plans to start a civil society organisation, Phoolka said an organisation that works as a pressure group was possible without entering active politics. “About eight years ago, there were many social workers who got together and an organisation was created, which became a parallel force to political parties. That organisation had such force that political parties couldn’t ignore it. Such a force was much needed then and is needed now,” he said.