Friday, April 10, 2015

Millstones Around AAP’s Neck
By Vinod Varshney
Who could have imagined that within a few weeks of the historical victory of Aam Aadmi Party, such an ugly show of ‘inner party democracy’ would be presented before the people, who had immense hopes in the new political experiment, seen as the therapeutic agent to treat major ills of the Indian political system, ranging from preponderance use of black money to rampant corruption and chicanery of trampling the genuine interests of the people to serve the wealthy corporates.



A few weeks after a historical and stunning performance by Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi elections, when it won 67 seats in the House of 70, surpassing anybody’s expectation, a shocking antithesis happened. Bickering-laden potentially destructive bombshells were hurled at Kejriwal, the main architect and executor of the new political movement. This culminated in the ouster of the two founder members, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, first from the Political Affairs Committee and then from the National Executive, along with two more of their supporters, Prof Anand Kumar and Ajit Jha, amidst ugly drama of a well-scripted protest and dharna under media glare on March 28. Media as ever was over-keen to heap ridicule on AAP and reap rich dividends in terms of enhanced TRPs as it showed for days together the infighting of the party to the dismay of party’s supporters and sympathisers.
Chief minister and deputy chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal (right) and Manish Sisodia (left) at the launch of anti-corruption helpline—1031 in Delhi
           Though the expulsion of the above four from the National Executive was by vote of 247 to 8, the dissenters had the cheek to say it was a ‘murder of democracy’ and to bolster their stand they leveled seemingly cheap charges like members were beaten up by bouncers in the meeting. The allegation could never be proved. Resolution to recall them from National Executive for their anti-party activities had been signed by 167 National Council members. The chair put it to vote in the meeting attended by 311 members out of total 392. 
Volunteers wanted patch-up and unity, and an honourable deal was worked out by the hard work of the negotiating team led by Sanjay Singh. But all efforts were wasted due to single-minded insistence of the dissenters to remove Kejriwal at any cost. Who actually was behind them is not known yet? Was this just the fight triggered by egos and ambitions of individuals or was there something bigger, a conspiracy to derail the new political experiment intended to free Indian politics from numerous maladies? The answer is yet not available.
            The resolution got the support of 247 members. Two members submitted their written dissent, eight members opposed the resolution and 54 abstained, including those who had walked out. It was alleged that once Kejriwal narrated his hurt and humiliation heaped on him in the name of swaraj and inner party democracy, the National Council members got excited and sloganeering started against the dissenters, calling them gaddar.
Renowned human rights activist, advocate and a founder member of AAP, Prashant Bhushan expelled from Political Affairs Committee and National Executive of the party for his anti-party activities
           This display of anger was a little too much for a party like AAP, but equally shocking was the attitude of the expelled members who did not show the moral courage to accept the ground reality that they were in abject minority and their view point had been rejected. They were making a proverbial case of tail trying to wag the dog.
Resolution to recall them from National Executive for their anti-party activities had been signed by 167 National Council members. The chair put it to vote in the meeting attended by 311 members out of total 392. The resolution got the support of 247 members. Two members submitted their written dissent, eight members opposed the resolution and 54 abstained, including those who had walked out.
          If one goes by the general feelings of the volunteers, most of them were extremely upset at the happening in the party. They wanted unity. A decent patch-up plan was also worked out, but Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav backed out. If the revelation made by former spokesperson Atishi Harlem is to be believed, Shanti Bhusan, father of Prashant Bhushan said ‘no’ to the reconciliation move. The dissenters after this became adamant on removing Kejriwal, which the overwhelming majority in the party did not want. Common voters were shocked at the degree of animosity reflected in the utterances of dissenters, couched in idealistic rhetorics.
Social scientist, psephologist and a founder member of AAP, Yogendra Yadav, expelled from Political Affairs Committee and National Executive of the party for anti-party activities
           Kejriwal had maintained total silence on the issue till the National Council meeting. There were snide remarks on social media, why he was silent. But in the National Council meeting he spoke full 45 minutes, and narrated the entire story how it was an attempt to gain control of the party by mounting attacks on him in the garb of inner democracy, swaraj and one man-one post. He revealed the operation had started soon after he had become the CM last year for tumultuous 49-days.
Renowned social activist, Medha Patkar who fought unsuccessfully Lok Sabha election on AAP ticket in Mumbai, resigned from the party
           For the first time the general public came to know about the other side of the story, when the video of Kejriwal’s address was released by the party after it was found that TV channels were showing only limited portions, and that too selectively. First time it became public that Kejriwal had been so tormented by Prashant Bhushan-Yogendra Yadav duo that he had decided in disgust to leave not only the AAP, but also politics forever, but was wooed back by the duo the next day early morning when they visted his house. Kejriwal also told how he went to jail at the instance of Prashant Bhushan in the defamation case against Nitin Gadkari.
Social activist Christina Sami, who resigned as Tamilnadu convenor of AAP
           The entire episode of infighting was feast for electronic media, which enjoyed organising panel debates when portions of sting operations done against Kejriwal were being shown interspersed with caustic and sensational comments of the anchors. Some people suspected a conspiracy behind dissenters’ move, as at a time when there was a sense of relief in the entire opposition spectrum at the resounding victory of AAP, which was seen as a message that Modi’s victory juggernaut was not unstoppable, the ‘dirty’ game of ruining the party image suddenly started.  

Dissenters might be right, but….

Several political observers feel that the dissenters might be right in some of their assertions, but they failed to see the bigger picture, the true mission of AAP in the context of what common men, who remain main victims of corrupt politics and politicians, actually wanted. The dissenters resorted to too much nit picking on the basis of high sounding philosophical technicalities. Many believe they were either driven by their own ambitions or were frustrated at new comers getting precedence over them, the founding members. They maligned the former nicknaming as ‘coterie’.
AAP’s former internal Lokpal, Admiral (retd) Laxminarayan Ramdas not renominated for the second term, claimed that his term was not over
           The frustration in Prashant Bhushan camp at one stage was so much that they virtually tried to see AAP loses the Delhi elections, so that Kejriwal could be kicked out after the two successive defeats, the first one was in the Lok Sabha election, when AAP lost on all seven seats in Delhi. Shanti Bhushan did not hide his intentions and openly welcomed BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi as better choice; and his son Prashant Bhushan tried to sabotage electoral chances by convincing trusted party volunteers not to support AAP in this elections. He even threatened to ruin the party amidst elections by holding a press conference. But contrary to wishes of the dissenters, the opposite happened. There after their resolve to carry on their mission ‘remove Kejriwal’ only strengthened. Is there not a conspiracy behind all this, some people ask.
When AAP dissenters were hogging limelight on media by throwing accusatory ‘filth’ on Kejriwal, the roads of Delhi were virtually stinking with garbage deliberately thrown on streets by striking employees of the loss making BJP-governed MCDs. The party has now moved to reunite three MCDs, trifurcated by Sheila Dikshit government three years ago, a decision which is responsible for the financial difficulties of the two MCDs out of the three.  
           APP’s ugly infighting came as a blessing in disguise to the Congress and BJP. They ridiculed AAP on what kind of party it was, where sting is done against their own leaders. There is no trust among leaders. Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said they, out of immaturity, were losing the opportunity which people had offered them with 67 seats. Many felt that the fighting in the party was not only ruining party’s image but also the functioning of the AAP government in Delhi.
Lok Sabha member of AAP from Patiala, Dharmvir Gandhi, anguished at the criticism mounted on him, threatened to resign
           The dissenters got some moral boost when Admiral (Retd) Ramdas and Ilina Sen were unexpectedly removed as internal Lokpals of the party. It was officially told, their term had expired and a three-member Lokpal panel headed by N Dilip Kumar, a retired IPS officer was, therefore, appointed. It was also explained that in extraneous circumstances Executive Committee can appoint Lokpal. Criticism from dissenters was that ouster of Ramdas was unconstitutional. People were surprised when Admiral himself joined the issue and said his term was not over yet.
The dissenters got a shot in their arm when luminary social activist Medha Patkar resigned from the party and a few days later Christina Sami also resigned as Tamilnadu state convenor and national executive member. This dented the image of the party further as now the 18-member National Executive was without any woman member. Delhi cabinet also has no woman member.
           The dissenters got a shot in their arm when luminary social activist Medha Patkar resigned from the party and a few days later Christina Sami also resigned as Tamilnadu state convenor and national executive member. This dented the image of the party further as now the 18-member National Executive was without any woman member. Delhi cabinet also has no woman member. No wonder then that the chatterati started lambasting AAP by reiterating the comment made by Christina that it was an ‘impatient boys’ club’. 
           The controversy has taken much sheen off Aam Aadmi Party. Many supporters in the middle class who saw the party as a new idea, a new experiment, a new idealism and the only hope for the country and the young generation, are dismayed. The donation to the party has also gone down. Dissenters are trying to muster support in other states for their ‘swaraj samvad’. Secretly people from dubious camps outside of the AAP are also helping them.
           To salvage the image of the party AAP government in Delhi needs to function efficiently to deliver on its promises. It, however, seems to be working with due sincerity. It has already fulfilled the promise of cutting electricity bills by half for those who consume upto 400 units a month and made water free upto 20,000 liters a month where proper meters are installed. It has also given relief to people in resettlement colonies, and has started an anti-corruption helpline 1031 and soon would issue an App to record corruption evidences. The level of corruption is so much in the capital—that on the very first day more than 12,000 complaints were registered. See this in the context of Shanti Bhushan supporting Kiran Bedi’s candidature who had declared corruption was her seventh priority.
           Troubles, however, are being created by BJP for the AAP government. First, BJP government in Haryana refused to release Delhi’s share of water. Kejriwal government had to move the Delhi High Court, which ordered government of Haryana to release water. Another problem was created by BJP-controlled MCDs which did not pay salaries to the sanitation staff blaming Kejriwal government for not releasing funds for the same. They were egged to go on a flash strike which made Modi’s ‘Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ a mockery. It was a strange scene—when the AAP dissenters were hogging limelight on media by throwing ‘stinking filth’ on Kejriwal, the roads of Delhi were virtually littered with stinking garbage deliberately thrown on streets by the striking employees.
           Two of the three MCDs are suffering owing to the decision of Sheila government which trifurcated the MCD for political expediency. The truncated MCDs were given loan by Sheila Dikshit government to run them for three years, but MCDs on their part did nothing to improve their finances and have failed to repay the loan. Now BJP has planned the merger of the three MCDs. 
           AAP insiders say, ‘challenges would continue to buffet, we need only to be sincere and hardworking. People have the sense to judge for themselves where the truth lies’.
(Note: The article was first published in the Lokayat magazine:April, 2015)


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