Thug Life of Arvind Kejriwal

Thug Life was an American hip hop group. It released their only album in 1994 called Thug Life: Volume 1. Today, we all know 'thug life as an urban slang. It stands for many things including the philosophy of not following any rules and trying to succeed somehow against all odds. In India not many can qualify as leading a 'thug life' for very long. Vijay Mallya led a 'thug life' for some time; today he is hardly successful and hence he became just a 'criminal' instead of a 'thug'. There is only one great 'thug life' title awardee in my opinion currently - and that is Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

That was a time when the "honesty gang" was trying to gain much wider audience. It chose a strategy of hurling shoes at big people, getting beaten up, and becoming famous in the process. At that point of time there was an "empty space" in Indian political landscape. BJP as primary opposition party had already lost that space after gaining power at the center. Congress which ruled the country for so long, did not quality as opposition (it is still trying hard to make people believe that it is an opposition party despite having lost power everywhere). Media, anti-national people and chronic skeptics looked at Kejrwal and his gang as the "right choice" for taking that empty space of a "spoiler".

Kejriwal and his gang alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi and District Cricket Association when Arun Jaitley was its president. The massive army of part time Aam Aadmi party members and full time skeptics took his words as a gospel. BJP supporters kept calling them "blind supporters" and more urban slang like "Aaptards" were born but it just did not fade. Thug Life succeeded against all odds.

But today, Kejriwal has apologized to Arun Jaitley.

"These allegations made by me were based on information and papers furnished to me by certain individuals who represented to have first-hand insight into the affairs of DDCA. However, I have recently discovered that the information and the imputations contained therein are unfounded and warranted and I was clearly misinformed into making these allegations," wrote Kejriwal in the apology to Jaitley.

"I offer my sincere apology to you and your family members for any harm caused to your reputation as a consequence of my allegations," the apology further said.

Just like Kejriwal was on "allegation spree" back then, he is on "apology spree" now. Kejriwal's apology spree consists of his apologies to BJP's Nitin Gadkari, Congress party's Kapil Sibal and Akali Dal's Bikram SIngh Majithia.

"I made certain statements, without regard to its verifiability, which seem to have hurt you. I have nothing personal against you. I regret the same. Let us put the incident behind us and bring the court proceedings to a closure." wrote Kejriwal to Gadkari.

I remember that due to Kejriwal's allegations, Gadkari had gained really bad name and was considered a corrupt man in the popular psyche by most people outside Maharashtra.

One interesting fact is also that these apologies are actually the final nail. You would remember that Kejriwal had shrewdly hired Ram Jethmalani as a lawyer to represent himself against Jaitley in the later's defamation case. He knew that Ram Jethmalani was immensely angry against the BJP; and he wanted to use that anger in winning that defamation case. But sadly, his experience also did not go well as he had a spat with Jethmalani over the controversy around payment of fees from the state treasury.

So where do these apologies stand in the overall 'thug life' of Arvind Kejriwal? I think these are just a new feather in his cap. He is the greatest thug of our time - he first fooled people with his allegations against these established political leaders and he has fooled people by his apologies against the same leaders. He meant nothing personally against those leaders when he alleged corruption charges against them. He means nothing now when he says "my sincere apology" to them. There is nothing "sincere" in the psyche of Arvind Kejriwal. There never was; except a very deep motivation to become a bigger man than he is by riding over shoulders of other men.

That is how I would always remember him - a man who stood over shoulders of poor old Anna Hazare and made his own name and bucks. He brought deep distrust among the masses against any possibility of an honest "non political" alternative to the current political landscape.

The reason I don't like Kejriwal is not because he has flaws. Everyone has "flaws" - but not everyone lives a "thug life".

- Disclaimer: Views are personal