THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Dec 5: Social activist, former BJP MLA and Padma Shri awardee Jitender Singh Shunty joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday in the presence of the party’s National Convener, Arvind Kejriwal.
The founder of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal and Shaheed-Ae-Azam Bhagat Singh Foundation, Shunty, joined the BJP in 2008 and won the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections from Shahdara.
In 2021, Shunty was honoured with the Padma Shri for his philanthropic contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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On Shunty joining AAP, Kejriwal said, “He is known as ‘Ambulance Man’. I have been told that he has facilitated last rites of more than 70,000 bodies, in dignified manner. During COVID era, when people hesitated to accept bodies of their family members, he accepted the bodies and performed last rites. He too fell prey to COVID. Even when his family contracted COVID, he continued his mission. He was awarded with Padma Shri for this. He has come to politics to serve people…His joining will strengthen AAP.”
Upon joining AAP, Jitendra Shunty stated, “I was stepping away from politics to focus on service work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the opportunity to serve by cremating unclaimed bodies. One day, I received a call from Arvind Kejriwal, who expressed a desire to contribute to this noble cause. My colleagues pointed out the similarity in our work: while he is giving life to people, we are taking care of matters after death. We both draw inspiration from Bhagat Singh, who was the first to raise the issue of human rights in Lahore jail. After the pandemic, I took up the issue of why people should not have access to the bodies of their deceased loved ones.”
