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

AAP Govt Report Card - 2015

Why Kejriwal holding party chief post after becoming Delhi CM: AAP’s lokpal

01-Mar-2015

The internal lokpal appointed by the AAP, Admiral Ramdas has raised concerns over party’s functioning, asking some uncomfortable questions to the leadership. In a letter, shot off to the national executive on February 26, he asked should party chief Arvind Kejriwal be allowed to continue on party position after becoming the Chief Minister of Delhi?

He also raised concerns over rising factionalism within party ranks.“During the past six to eight months there has been an abject breakdown in communications and mutual trust amongst the topmost leadership of the party. This has in my view led to the growth of two camps within the party and loose talk about conspiracies,” he wrote. He also stressed on the proportionate representation of women in the party.

He said he was surprised at the manner in which some decisions were taken in June 2014 and that important decisions need far more rigorous processes and methods.

AAP members Yadav, Bhushan may resign as rift widens

28-Feb-2015

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founding members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav are likely to either resign from the party or assume non-active roles, sources said. The differences between Kejriwal and Bhushan and Yadav have been out in the open for quite some time now. While Yadav tried to quit the PAC after the AAP’s Lok Sabha elections debacle, Bhushan had differences with Kejriwal over candidate selection.

In a letter written to Kejriwal in June, which was leaked to the media, Yadav had flayed Kejriwal’s dictatorial attitude. The party and Kejriwal had convinced Yadav to stay on at that time.

AAP's Promise of free wi-fi to take "at least" one year!

21-Feb-2015

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's vision to provide free Wi-Fi across Delhi will take at least a year to materialize. He said even his children are keen to use free Wi-Fi but setting up the system is not easy. "It will take at least one year for the government to provide free Wi-Fi," he said.

While modalities for providing Wi-Fi are being worked out, sources say it will not be an unlimited free service. AAP members say free Wi-Fi may be provided to each user for, perhaps, half an hour in a day with restrictions on downloading.

Analysis: AAP's Promise of free water: No such thing as free water

Written by Surjit S Bhalla , Prasanthi Ramakrishnan | February 18, 2015

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/no-such-thing-as-free-water/

Delhi Govt Bans Media entry into Secretariat without prior appointments

20-Feb-2015

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is always abuzz with controversy, and they did it again by denying entry to journalists into Delhi Secretariat on the first working day of their government. And in retaliation, national media boycotted the press conference of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

But the moot point about the incident are the reasons why the AAP, who likes to be in limelight through media and social media when they were out of power, restrict journalists to enter Secretariat. The action contradicts the AAP which was craving to have transparency in government's working and policies, promised of installation of 10 lakh CCTV cameras in City in its election manifesto.

India Against Corruption (IAC) Vs Aam Aadmi's Party (AAP)

Finally, Arvind Kejriwal and team have thought of a name to their political outfit. It has been named "Aam Aadmi Party" (or Common Man's Party). Here are my thoughts on this development:

In a way I am happy that we did not repeat a historical event (mistake in the opinion of many). Indian National Congress (INC) was by and large a political organization to unite and channelize nationalists efforts to ensure freedom of India from the British. When India achieved independence in 1947, many proposed that this party should be dissolved and a new party with a new name may be floated which can take part in the democratic process of a living democracy of post-independent Bharat. But somehow this did not happen and we still have a political party in the same name of Indian National Congress (INC) whose several members have been accused of numerous large scale corruption charges and scandals. In a way it pains us to see the name of Congress party which is inseparable from our freedom struggle and with Mahatma Gandhi, to be regressed and defamed in this manner. The good thing with Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement called India Against Corruption is that it has not allowed its name being used to start a political party separate from its own agenda.

India Against Corruption (IAC) was by and large an organization identified with two things: (1) To demand Jan Lokpal Bill from the government, (2) A social movement against corruption in government and government organizations. Also, IAC has been identified with social activist Anna Hazare and other leaders like Kiran Bedi also played important part in it. By the time it accepted failure in securing Jan Lokpal Bill, Arvind Kejriwal almost individually eclipsed it. The IAC Brand was gradually shifting from being identified by hugely popular, and "saint like" Anna Hazare, towards sharp, retorting, reactive and "aggressive" Arvind Kejriwal. The brand transition happened with every passing day and increased at mammoth pace ever since Arvind Kejriwal started his own political party. Some even felt that whole people's movement started by IAC has been "abducted" by him. I salute Anna Hazare's leadership, clear vision and boldness to demand that Kejriwal should stop using IAC's name and brand, given that their ways have gone the separate ways. Therefore, it is satisfying for people like me to see that Arvind Kejriwal has announced a new name for the political party - Aam Aadmi Party. (Though I still see much harm and dilution done to IAC's brand due to being used by Kejriwal's political outfit so far.)

I was surprised at this name "Aam Aadmi Party" and initially I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw news about it on TV. The term "Aam Aadmi" has been used extensively by INC (Congress Party) during all these years and it looked like it was an attempt by Kejriwal & team to make a dig at it while using the term for their own political party's name. Now every time Congress leaders will call us "Aam aadmi", they will in a way take their rival's name. But I was in a way disappointed by Kejriwal & team. Choosing this name indicates their lack of vision and imagination. Could not they have named their party more 'appropriately' for better presentation and matching its vision? In a way, this over-zealousness to "steal" Congress party of its oft used term "Aam aadmi", Kejriwal & team became victims themselves of their negative politics. If you keep thinking about your rival or keep hating someone, gradually you become used by your own hatred. It appears to be a huge opportunity lost by Kejriwal & team to not being able to show some courage and imagination in naming their political party. If IAC and Anna Hazare's successes were also marketing case studies, then this name 'Aam Aadmi Party' comes as their poor cousin. 

The name "Aam Aadmi Party" is 2/3 Hindi and 1/3 English; perhaps ironically just like Kejriwal's politics is 2/3 "anti" things and only 1/3 as "pro" other things. It is typical of upstarts lacking vision in basing politics on the "anti" or the negative plank - it takes you only to an extent. I was also surprised how Kejriwal had the courage to accept this negative politics in naming his party openly in front of us. He made the following comment as published in today's TOI:

"Cong could never hijack the aam admi despite using the term 'aam admi'. Now they have lost the word too." - Arvind Kejriwal.

First, if his "hijacking" means making people of this country believe in the party and its vision, then Congress party did it successfully! The party is still in power and has enjoyed power for all these years. If Kejriwal thinks that the party "could never hijack" aam admi, then why did the aam admi elected Congress to remain in power for all these years? Obviously, Kejrwal sees things differently, which can be called hallucinating perhaps at times. 

This politics of "hijack" has weird dimensions. Hindustan Times has this article titled "Arvind Kejriwal ‘hijacks’ Cong’s aam aadmi". It is widely seem that Kejriwal "hijacked" the term "aam aadmi" from Congress party either to enjoy making fun of them (as can be seen in the comments from Digvijay Singh and Manish Tewari), or it was named like this because Kejriwal and team could not think of any better name. On any account, it looks like a huge opportunity loss. 

For the man who was accused of "hijacking" Anna Hazare's social movement for his own political agenda to hijack IAC to start a political party, it is ironical to see him boasting that he has "hijacked" the term Congress party used so many times. 

Anyways, I am happy that finally India Against Corruption (IAC) brand is free from being used by Kejriwal and his team for their political party. We had lost the moment once when we allowed Indian National Congress (INC) brand being used in the post-independence era, and glad that this time there was a man who did not allow history to be repeated for the wrong - Anna Hazare. 

- Rahul

Note: Views are personal and do not represent views of any organization associated with the author. [Detailed disclaimer]