After a poor show in the MCD elections, Kumar Vishwas episode shows that AAP has been plagued with infighting. In fact, the life span of AAP shows that emotions won them votes but their karmas have let them down
Siddheshwar Shukla Eklavy
“A parliamentarian (MP) or legislator (MLA) does not even have the right to speak his mind in his respective house. Their parties dictate them to vote for or against any motion or bill and speak accordingly. Therefore, electing good MPs or MLAs will never bring change in the system; we will have to change the system itself”. Arvind Kejriwal, Swaraj, p 127.
These sentences echo in my mind whenever I sit in the press gallery of Delhi Assembly after AAP came to power in 2013. I am citing this from the book for two reasons—firstly Kejriwal and his aides have forgotten almost every promise they had made in Ramlila Ground during Janlokpal Movement and secondly this is the only book AAP claims its ideological guide. In his first 49 days and now since February 14, 2015 AAP never allowed any of her MLAs to speak his mind in the Assembly. Earlier, they were not even given time to speak in Delhi Assembly but gradually MLAs were given time but with a single Agenda, ‘Flay Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the worst possible language’. As far as speaking on a bill or proposal is concerned, the MLAs read only the dictation of the party. There are 67 MLAs of AAP and it needs only 36 votes to pass a bill or resolution in the house but never ever any AAP MLA voted against or registered dissent on any bill or resolution moved by cabinet in Delhi Assembly. The party prescribes strong censorship on ‘freedom of speech’ of his party leaders and volunteers. The book is filled with many such ideas which were cheered with thunderous applaud in Ramlila ground but never implemented by Kejriwal. Thus Kejriwal developed ‘Yes Boss’ as ‘rule’ in his party.
After getting this book from a senior AAP volunteer in Delhi secretariat on December 28, 2013, I tried to attempt a critical review but the editorial policy of the media house was not supportive. However, the journalist within me felt satisfied on February 8, 2014 when Shekhar Gupta published a full page critical review of the book in Indian Express titled ‘National Interest: Arvind Chitra Katha’. “Don’t say he didn’t warn us. Read his scary little manifesto in which it all starts with a king, a courtesan and their Gram Sabha”. Here Gupta flays ‘Kejriwal’s for deriving his history knowledge from comical books like Champak. Time and again the critics have explained his hate speech against VIP culture, big bungalows, fat salaries, security, nepotism but accepting all of them as Chief Minister.
Internal Lokpal
As per Shaiv traditional literature, the devil Bhasmasur worshipped God Shiva for years. The God Shiva descended and asked him to demand ‘vardaan’. “A person will burn into ashes as soon as I put my hands on his head” demanded Bhasmasur. Shiva granted the wish by saying ‘tathastu’. Bhasmasur then ran after God Shiva to burn him into ashes. Kejriwal’s greatest wish of Lokpal revolves around this traditional story.
Immediately, after coming into power with 67 MLAs, Kejriwal rushed after ‘Internal Lokpal’ of his party. Those who attended Kejriwal’s address in Ramlila Ground, Jantar Mantar and his public meetings might remember his emotional speeches on the powers and freedom of ‘internal ombudsman.’ The internal ombudsman Admiral L Ramdas was sacked in an emergency meeting of the National Executive of AAP. In his letter written to Kejriwal on March 29 2015, Ramdas expressed his pain for ‘not given opportunity to speak’. His last wish for ‘an opportunity to speak’ was never fulfilled. I don’t want to stray my readers into the details of the cases he was investigating on ticket distribution but only to focus on the idea of ‘freedom’ for ‘internal Lokpal’ the ‘corruption crusader’ has been reiterating since Janlokpal Movement days.
Ramdas was replaced with three member body—retired IPS officers N Dilip Kumar and Rakesh Sinha and educationist S P Verma. Kumar gained fame by conducting sting operations against corrupts during his tenure as Special Commissioner in Delhi Police. In the 49 days government, he had offered his services on a token salary of Re 1 to head Anti-Corruption Helpline. Kumar resigned from the post in September on ‘personal ground’ while Rakesh Sinha was absorbed as ‘Advisor to CM’. The fake degree case of former Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar and bribery case of former Food and Civil Supplies Minister Ashim Ahmed Khan were the two major cases referred to ‘Internal Lokpal’. AAP neither revealed status of these cases nor recommendations so far. Thereafter AAP ministers and leaders faced several charges of corruption, sexual exploitation, nepotism in appointments, but none of them were referred to ‘Internal Lokpal’ nor he took suo-motto cognizance.
Kejriwal’s unconstitutional decision to include Central Government employees in the ambit of ‘Delhi Janlokpal Bill’ aborted the baby AAP conceived in Ramlila Ground. Presently, the existing body of Lokayukta is non-functional while Janlokpal is in ICU.
Ideological Devilry
Ideology of a political party is a strong ground to connect with the masses. Janlokpal Movement was a ‘nationalist movement’. In those days, before starting his speech Kejriwal and his colleagues used to hoist Indian flag at the stage and shout slogans like ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ in a very emotional way. This was due to the patriotic and nationalist ideology AAP established emotional connect with people and won their hearts. The trust of people was so strong that even the allegations of foreign funding and Naxalite sympathy could not do much harm. The first drift from this nationalist agenda reared its head on October 12, 2011 when Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan was beaten up by some youths in this chamber for advocating the cause of separatists in Kashmir. AAP distanced itself from the comment and even Bhushan was cornered in the party.
The open support of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the Left extremists of Jawaharlal Nehru University, who shouted anti-India slogans on February 9, 2016 shattered the faith of all the nationalists in the party. Even after the fact finding committee—led by Deputy Commissioner of Delhi Government concluded that Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were seen raising anti-India slogans in the video, Kejriwal and his party never condemned the Left extremists. His questions on surgical strike carried out by Indian Army on Pakistan further put him close to the hardcore leftists.
Meanwhile Kejriwal himself persued the ‘secular’ politics of Congress and followed the path of Muslim
appeasement. The anti-Hindu posters in Okhla, granting Rs 1 crore to the family of M M Khan and parading his daughters in public meetings tells the story.
Authoritarian Monopoly
After formation of AAP, the abolition of ‘supremo culture’ was on top of the idea of alternative politics but swiftly Kejriwal established his authoritarian monopoly. “It has become directionless and functions like a private company. A group of elite individuals is promoted to take over the party,” wrote jurist Ashok Agarwal in his resignation to Kejriwal on March 11, 2014. Agarwal is the man behind landmark judicial decisions of free EWS beds in private hospitals and free admission to EWS students in private schools of Delhi. He was the first public figure to resign from AAP with a strong worded letter. “If any leader speaks against Kejriwal, all unite and shout him down. I requested Yadav and Bushans to support me but they denied. I had alerted them with the same fate,” said Agarwal on the day Yogendra Yadav and Bhushans were expelled. Almost all the leaders from Shazia Ilmi to Mayank Gandhi to recent controversy of Kumar Vishwas; have blamed ‘autocracy’ and ‘supremo culture’ of AAP.
Corruption and Nepotism
Kejriwal has claimed to root out these two evils from Indian politics with the help of his ‘alternative political system’. However, by recent MCD elections his own Ministers and MLAs were facing serious corruption charges. After initially shielding Jitendra Singh Tomar, Kejriwal had to remove him from the post of Law Minister while Ashim Ahmed Khan was removed on the allegations of bribery. Further his Minister for Women Development Sandip Kumar was removed on the charges of sexual exploitation of a woman for ‘ration card’. After allegations of corruption, the transport department was taken over from Gopal Rai. But no further action was taken against these Ministers by Kejriwal who often demands ‘hanging’ of the corrupts. He always tried to blame other parties and prove his party better but the people had expected something ‘different’.
Kejriwal never got tired in flaying Om Prakash Chautala for ensuring appointment of his relatives in government jobs but he himself appointed several of his relatives and party workers on government salary. AAP may take shield of ‘co-terminus’ clause but people were expecting more transparency from alternative politics. The most shocking was the appointment of Ashish Khetan as Vice Chairperson of Delhi Dialogue Commission. He was provided grade of cabinet with no salary and no facility. But in a subsequent cabinet meeting he was ensured more salary than a Minister, bungalow and all. The funny argument—we are honest and this is the only source of income.
Lack of Sustained Karma
Kejriwal government launched ‘Odd Even Scheme’ to control pollution and traffic jam in the city with much fanfare. The intellectuals cutting across disciplines, media and then Chief Justice of India T S Thakur supported and followed the scheme despite exemption. Kejriwal called this a historic success and appreciated support of Delhiites. According to him all the governments across the globe were toppled after implementing the Odd Even Scheme but only he survived. The scheme was discontinued after second edition in April 2016. Even after high level pollution in Delhi during post-Diwali celebrations, the scheme was not implemented. Kejriwal seems to have forgotten the recent verdict of the Supreme Court which has directed for automatic implementation of Odd Even in Delhi whenever air pollution touches high level. Similarly, the ‘Car Free Day’ celebrated on 22nd of each month was also discontinued after its 5th edition on 22 February, 2016. His efforts to improve health system particularly free EWS beds system, education, road transportation, marshals in busses, CCTV in busses, wifi etc are facing the same fate.
Ashish Khetan, VC of DDC on July 16, 2015 announced Aam Aadmi Canteens to provide lunch on Rs 10. The project was scheduled to be launched within two months and cover entire Delhi in next six months. On March 28, 2016 Delhi government sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the project and the first such canteen was inaugurated in LNJP hospital in January 2017.
Kejriwal and his party always used unsubstantiated arguments to attack Central government. For instance, Kejriwal saying Delhi Government did not have powers to appoint and transfer ‘peon’, made his mockery among educated class in Delhi. Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSB) functions fully under Delhi government with all powers to recruit state employees except Union cadre. As far as transfers are concerned except handful of secretary rank senior IAS officers, Delhi cabinet has all the powers to transfer bureaucrats within Delhi. This includes DCs, SDMs, Directors, Joint Secretaries, and Under Secretaries etc. Similarly, the opinion of some senior lawyers like Gopal Subramanian was projected as mandamus of the constitution in assembly and also in public. Kejriwal’s public refusal of the Delhi High Court verdict also presented him as indispensably unsatisfied person before the public. Furthermore, his habit of picking fights with Central government and abusive words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Election Commission of India and other constitutional bodies deteriorated his political image. His Mohalla Clinics, free water and half power are indeed popular among public but his list of sins is many times more than his Karma.
Above all, Kejriwal is facing the popularity of the most popular leader and sustained performer Narendra Modi. This factor has become decisive for all the political parties in India, including AAP.
(The writer is a Delhi-based freelance journalist)
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