Soul Troubles of Anti-Corruption Movement

The country expected unfolding of a new chapter in the history of political movement of India when Anna Hazare started his India Against Corruption movement and masses thronged to him as ray of hope in the scam ridden country plagued with massive scandals and losses to the public exchequer. I was greatly fascinated with this new turn of events and I wrote in my column that a new revolution is being brought by the movement. It soon started withering and many cracks appeared. First in spite of proclaimed wish and credo of Anna Hazare that his associates and outfit will not go politics it floundered. Perhaps Anna wanted a Gandhi type role that he is out but still is listened to by the powers and remains relevant to the nation. His colleagues and principal aids like Arivind Kejriwal and even later on Kiran Bedi, virtually abandoned him and joined politics. Now Anna is left in lurch when V.K.Singh and Ram Das, Hegde too went to one or the other party.  Even then I was hopeful that AAP of Kejriwal will emerge as a moral force in the politics.

I have been greatly disappointed by what AAP turned out to be. Kejriwal claimed to be honest and he tome tomed that he is different from other parties. They donned Gandhi caps and held out Jhadoos as the symbol of their party which proclaimed that they are really AAM and simple people who are committed to the national interest. We all fell for it. Soon they revealed that what they claimed was a farce and only to get votes. They behaved as any other corrupt political party and no different. First contrary to their professed anti-Congress posture and announcement that they will not take support of any party and will not join with Congress they formed government as any other party does by getting support of the party that they condemned. What was morality left in this act? Then Kejriwal who is master of making tall promises of freebies politics found difficult to adjust to reality of government functioning and seeing an opportunity to become the Prime Minister abandoned Delhi for Varanasi to contest against Narender Modi. They came back in 2015 and Kejriwal apolgised for his mistake to leave Delhi. People pardoned him. During the elections AAP indulged in communal and caste politics by seeking vote on that basis. Their collegues claimed that some ticket distribution was done on monetary consideration. A Friend of mine told me that how he got calls from AAP that Kejriwal is too is from his caste and they should join together to vote him in. Kejriwal openly wooed Muslim voters claiming to be their masiha. Was it moral force and casteless and honest party or same soiled political outfit in new deceptive cloths?

Now after forming Government and taking a residence of 5-bedrooms in posh Delhi area with fanfare he goes out for treatment when his party is undergoing serious meeting on throwing out two founders and senior party architects. In fact on the meeting day he is in his office but does not come to meeting and is directing the operation from his office before leaving for Bangalore. His Rajasthan colleagues authorized by the unit are denied entry to manage votes. Was not it a clandestine operation? Allegations of his colleagues against his arbitrary manner of operation and even indulging in bargaining for forming government have been aired. Eventually it reached the climax in National meeting where Bhushan.Yadav and others were shown the door after showing what was earlier described by Shazia, AAP as goons party.

Many joined AAP thinking it to be a moral force and clean party. Many also joined it as they thought there is an opportunity. One senior retired army officer who was with AAP told me that he was trying for a ticket in last election as he thought it is an empty bus and he could ride but it turned to be full of self seekers and jam-packed. Everyone seemed to run for an opportunity and hope. Perhaps it could replace Congress as shown in Delhi results but in my view it cannot as Congress with all its faults is a party with a history and vast organization. If they take effective steps to revive they may block AAP. Recently Sonia Gandhi has shown vigor in fighting back but on a cause that does no credit to national interest but may win her some lost popularity. On the score of transparency the party is weak and Narender Modi, who has grabbed this agenda, has proved that corruption can be eliminated in high places to start with and may percolate to the roots.

Although I have lost hope on success of AAP and Anna yet I have still a glimmer of hope in Modi who is himself incorruptible and unlike Manmohan Singh does not allow his Ministers also to be corrupt. Globally there is resurgence in rating India high and hopefully it could also bring transparency in the system.

-----Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman International Airports Authority of India