AAP creates chaos on Delhi streets

The chaotic and anarchic situation prevailing on the streets of Delhi is due to the sit-in programme at Rail Bhavan of Aam Admi Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the suspension of five Delhi police officers of junior rank. Delhi CM started his sit-in programme from Monday morning, as he was not allowed to sit-in on Dharna before the office of the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde for his demand as the Delhi police is under the Home Ministry. As Delhi is a city state, Delhi police is under control of the government of India. Government of Delhi has no control over police as it is yet get full statehood. Arvind Kejriwal and his entire Cabinet sat on Dharna at Rail Bhavan in Lutyen’s zone where the preparations for celebration of our Republic Day on January 26 are in full swing. From the security point of view this zone becomes extra-sensitive on or around Republic Day. Republic Day is our biggest national celebration on which we salute our brave army personnel and display their valour on the day. Causing disruption in the preparation for celebration of Republic Day is nothing but the insult to the nation. It is neither Congress nor BJP’s and Aam Admi party function. It is the function of the entire nation. Judicial probe has already been instituted to go into the police action as complained by AAP government in defence of its law minister Somnath Bharti. After the judicial enquiry report is submitted to the Lt. Governor, appropriate action would be taken. In the given situation haste shown by Delhi Chief Minister Advind Kejriwal for Dharna and protests smacks of his political motive in view of the approaching Lok Sabha elections. It is not only the Republic Day time but the area where Delhi Chief Minister and his entire Cabinet have sat on Dharna for the suspension of five police personnel is full of government offices. Some of the Metro stations have also been shut down and several regular routes have been diverted. The shutting down of Metro stations and traffic jams because of Kejriwal’s Dharna on the street is causing a great convenience for the Aam Admi who have voted him to power. The reason behind sitting on Dharna by Kejriwal and his Cabinet is to defend their law minister Somnath Bharti who had verbal duel with police officer in public when his order to conduct raid and arrest alleged sex racket and drug traffickers being run by some African women was refused to be carried out by Delhi police personnel on legal ground. Aam Admi loud mouthed law minister Somnath Bharti demanded the immediate suspension of the five police personnel and in his support his CM and entire Cabinet have sat on Dharna. It may be a political ploy to sit on Dharna for the demand of suspension of five police personnel by Kejriwal and his Cabinet and making a call on his partymen to come in lakhs to show the entire nation in view of the coming Lok Sabha elections that how closely they are connected with the concerns and grievances of the Aam Admi. Kejriwal being an IITian and former Income Tax officer of high rank knows it well that generally the Aam Admi have the grievances against Jal Board, Electicity Department and police personnel. So, he is trying to exploit the public anger for his political benefit. He also knows well that it is beyond his ability and capability to address to the grievances of the public against them. That is why he has chosen the path of agitation even after coming to power and created a chaotic and anarchic situation in the national capital Delhi. The political motive behind his Dharna ploy is to exploit the people’s grievances in his party Aam Admi’s favour in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s anarchist and agitationist political action amply reflects that the governance is beyond his capacity. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal must also understand that the people of India are very wise and they can not be misled time and again. It is well known to Kejriwal that Delhi police is under Government of India. And police are governed and controlled by rules and regulations.

Modi sets the stage for polls

BJP Prime Ministerial Candidate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s vision may be clear, calculated, compact and concise that can be fulfilled if the opportunity is given to him by the people of the country, but how would he fulfill his vision is yet to be clarified by him? To talk tall is an easy thing but to translate it on the ground is too difficult. Narendra Modi is good at governance and he is also considered to be a development-oriented man. But at the same time, he has failed so far in removing the perception of hardcore Hindutva and tag of communal violence in 2002 from among the people. Narendra Modi at the party’s National Council meeting in Delhi has put his vision clearly before the people and set tone for electoral battle.He has rightly called the country needs action, and not acts. In his extempore speech, he has very orderly enumerated the number of works to be done if he is voted to power. The confidence of fulfilling all the promises made to the people appears true from his speech. Undoubtedly, Narendra Modi is a very good orator and the audiences he addresses have faith in him. He leaves no stone unturned in exploiting the failures of the Congress-led UPA government in the last 10 years in his favour. The crowd that spontaneously throngs to his public meetings in a very large numbers clearly reflects that the people have made up their mind to give a chance to him. He has been projected as above the party because most of the people appear to be voting for BJP so that Narendra Modi becomes PM of the nation. He is publicizing his Gujarat development model on wide scale. Though his Gujarat model of development may not be suitable on All India basis, the people are curious to know what type of development model he talks about. Narendra Modi also tried to air his OBC status and background of a tea hawker in train, and made mockery of Congress Party for not announcing Rahul Gandhi’s name as party’s prime ministerial candidate only to save him from the humiliation of the imminent defeat at the hands of person of lowly background like him. He alleged that Congress considers it beneath its leader’s prestige to fight elections against the man of lowly background. He alleged that Congress is party of elitists. Its leader comes from high family. Because of this the imminent defeat of the Congress party by the man of lower background like him in Lok Sabha elections is intolerable for it. With the official announcement of Rahul Gandhi as Congress Party poll campaign committee head and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s speech at National Council meeting, the stage is already set for 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It is no matter whether Rahul Gandhi is made candidate for PM’s post by the Congress party in Lok Sabha elections or not, it is amply clear that if the Congress-led UPA got majority he will be its prime minister. So, the coming Lok Sabha elections will certainly be seen as straight fight between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi.

Invigorating speech for Cong workers

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s speech at the AICC session reflected everything that could infuse fighting spirit and courage in Congress leaders and workers to fight Lok Sabha elections and win them. His exhortation to the party leaders and workers was superb. He clearly appeared to lead the party from the front. His speech has certainly galvanized the party workers, who were demoralized, depressed and helpless after party’s humiliating defeat in the just concluded assembly elections. Rahul’s speech at this AICC session was much more improved, positive and filled with preparedness to face any challenge to the Congress party in the coming Lok Sabha elections than his previous speeches. He appeared at the AICC session as a complete warrior to lead Congress workers and leaders to win Lok Sabha elections and bring back the party to power for the third consecutive time. His name may not have been announced as prime ministerial candidate for tactical reason but it is well understood that if the party won majority in elections, he will certainly be elected the leader of parliamentary party and thereby the Prime Minister. Congress leaders, workers, sympathizers and well-wishers know it well. It is also the tradition of the Congress Party not to announce Prime Ministerial candidate before the Lok Sabha elections. So, he has been made head of party poll campaign. Though there have been criticisms of the Congress party in several quarters on this issue because of the party’s fear of defeat in Lok Sabha elections by BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress party has treaded its beaten path and only stopped short of Rahul as PM candidate. Rahul’s body language, tone and tenure every thing clearly reflected that he was prepared to take opposition head on to win the Lok Sabha elections. His address at the AICC session in Delhi has ignited the Congress leaders and workers nationwide. The way Rahul Gandhi has made demand to raise the quota of LPG Cylinders from 9 to 12 on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in public amply reflects that he has read the writing on the wall. Cutting the number of LPG Cylinders down to 9 and increasing inflation, including food, vegetables, milk, eggs, fish and every edible item have been the main causes of the humiliating defeat of the Congress Party in the just concluded assembly elections. Rahul’s impact was seen the moment he made demand for 12 Cylinders that Oil and Natural Gas Minister promptly said that a proposal to this effect would be put before the consideration of the Cabinet. If Congress Party Vice President had exerted his influence on the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government to rein in inflation and bring down the price of all essential commodities immediately, the Congress party would have certainly emerged victorious. There is no grievance against the Congress party among the people except its government’s utter failure in checking price rise and corruption. So, Rahul Gandhi needs to address the main concern of the common people, that is price rise, without any loss time. Rahul's speech at the AICC Session has infused lives among the Congress leaders and workers to fight Lok Sabha elections with an aim to win them.

Too early to criticize

Despite various types of shortcomings coming to the fore about 19 days old Aam Admi Party government in Delhi, it is too early to be disillusioned with it. As it has got stunning success in Delhi Assembly elections and come to power in a very short period of coming into existence as a political party with the outside support of Congress Party, there is also every possibility of AAP losing its sheen among Delhiites very early if its ministers continue to cross their constitutional right and duty. Within 19 days of the formation of AAP government headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vinod Kumar Binny, a prominent and senior AAP MLA, has rebelled against Kejriwal and called him dictator and liar publicly. He has also charged the AAP government of Kejriwal with drifting away from the promises made to the people during the election campaigns. He has charged Kejriwal of running a coterie of four to five leaders and all the decisions are taken in a closed room. Binny said that taking public opinion on the issue of ticket distribution and any other issues was mere a drama and every thing was pre-decided. These are serious charges which need to be rejected with sufficient evidence by none other than CM Kejriwal himself as he always rides very high moral ground. AAP spokesperson has refuted all the charges levelled against the government by the rebellious MLA Binny and said that because he was denied ministerial birth and Lok Sabha ticket from East, he has rebelled. Whatever may be the truth behind it, one thing is certain that all is not well in the AAP government. The way AAP Law Minister Somnath Bharti asked his law secretary to call a meeting of judges at Secretariat shows one thing very clearly that he is crossing his limit of power. A state law minister can not call a meeting of judges. High Court Judge can only call the meeting of judges of district and sub-divisional courts. His over activism does not end here. Somnath Bharti’s duel with the police in public over his order to arrest the gang of prostitutes and raid the prostitution racket tells a different story. The law minister was on night inspection when he found that prostitution was practised illegally in a residential area. He wanted the police to arrest the prostitutes and drug traffickers from the area. Police refused to carry out his order on the ground that they can not arrest nor raid until and unless they are equipped with arrest or search warrant. Delhi police may be arrogant but the due process of law has to be followed. And this is not the proper way for a minister to issue verbal order to police to do this or that. If he had information about the prostitution racket being run in particular area, he could have asked the police officer by getting the complaint lodged with the police station and in that case if the police did not act, it would be a case of police compromise with the law breakers in Delhi. Likewise, another Minister Rakhi Birla reportedly sat on dharna against police inaction in the case of dowry harassment. The AAP ministers must know that they are no longer agitationists. They have now constitutional responsibility and accountability.

Congress in a dilemma

Though there is no tradition of announcing the name of prime ministerial candidate before the Lok Sabha elections in the Congress Party, this time the situation is different because of price rise and corruption, which is marring its poll prospect. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has proved to be the weakest prime minister of the nation. There is no charge of corruption against him personally, but under his premiership the spate of corruption has surfaced that has made his position the weakest one. His inaction has allowed the situation to go from bad to worse, which has mirrored in unchecked price rise and corruption. Congress party has only three months before the Lok Sabha elections to bring the position on right track, which is almost impossible. The party is undecided to announce its prime ministerial candidate when its main rival and opposition BJP has already announced Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The pressure is mounting on the Congress Party from all sides to announce its prime ministerial candidate. There appears to be no unanimity among top party leaders on announcing the prime ministerial candidate before LS elections. Though it is understood that when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already announced that he is in no race for the third time, it is well-understood that Congress Party prime ministerial candidate is its Vice President Rahul Gandhi. But some Congress strategists are not in favouring of putting Rahul Gandhi against BJP’s Narendra Modi and thereby exposing him before the people. With the interview of Rahul Gandhi appearing in a national Hindi daily, it has become clear that he is not running away from responsibility. Rahul Gandhi has himself said that he has shown no reluctance in shouldering the responsibility given to him by the party and he is ready to take any responsibility given to him by the party. Now it is up to the Congress party to decide what to do on the issue of announcing prime ministerial candidate before LS elections. Despite the falling popularity graph of the Congress due to the failure of its government led by Dr. Manmohan Singh at the Centre to check price rise and corruption, the official announcement of Rahul Gandhi as party’s prime ministerial candidate will certainly galvanize the party workers all over the nation. So, the Congress party in its AIIC meeting scheduled to be held on Jan 17 may either announce the name of Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate or he be made the working president of the party to go in Lok Sabha elections under his leadership and thereby making it clear that if the Congress-led UPA get back majority, he will be elected leader of the parliamentary party to stake claim to form the government before the President. By this way, Rahul Gandhi will have escape route to save himself from embarrassment that he has proved himself a failure if the Congress Party is routed in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

AAP’s biggest political asset under question

Aam Admi Party has the most credible and honest faces in today's politics. It is known for honesty and integrity. AAP has been voted to power only because of its pledge to fight against corruption in the government. Now, with the report appearing in a prestigious national daily about indictment of Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti by the CBI court in August last year for tempering with the evidence, embarrassment is in store for AAP if it fails to act against him. The CBI court judge had reportedly described Somnath Bharti’s action of influencing the prosecution witness as not only highly unethical and objectionable but also amounting to tempering the evidence. AAP must act against its law minister without any delay if it serious to keep its credibility intact. It is surprising that how AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has defended his minister and said that court observation might be wrong because it was the sting operation carried out by Sonath Bharti and his client to expose the corruption of crores in the bank and the high-ups involved in it. He said that the court termed this sting operation as tampering of evidence, which is wrong. Having said that in the defence of his law minister, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that he respects the judiciary of the country. Kejriwal must know that the charity begins from the home. Unless and until, he acts against his own ministers and party leaders who have been found to be tainted in one way or the other, his credibility will also come under question and he will not be treated as a politician of different class and calibre any longer. As far as the sting operation is concerned, Kejriwal has always come out to defend his party leaders whenever they were shown to be allegedly taking money in the sting operation conducted against them. Just before the assembly elections in Delhi, a sting operation was carried out against some AAP leaders in which they were shown to be allegedly taking money to get some work done. It was caught on camera in the sting operation and played out on almost all national TV news channels. But in contrary to taking any action against AAP leaders, Arvind Kejriwal first demanded raw footage and when denied, he hastily gave clean chit to his party leaders. It was the initial stage of the party and it was also the first timer in elections. Delhiites had high hope from the AAP and it was getting popular very fast among them. So, Delhiites did not attach any importance to the sting operation against AAP leaders and condoned them at that time. However, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should know that now his party is in power. If the honesty and integrity of AAP ministers and leaders continued to be questioned at frequent intervals and he continued to defend them, a message will go out automatically among the public all over the country that AAP is no different from the other established political parties in anyway. So if Chief Minister is really interested to overhaul the corrupt political system of the country, he must begin action against wrong doing from his home itself by acting against the indicted minister. The law court has indicted AAP law minister for tempering with the evidence and lower court’s decision had been upheld by High and Supreme Court also. It is sufficient ground for action against AAP law minister Somnath Bharti to uphold the party principle of zero tolerance against any wrong doing.

Rahul’s belated realization

Congress Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi has started realizing the blunders committed by his government at the Centre when the popularity graph of his party has taken a nosedive. The Congress Party failed to realize that it is the Aam Admi, who had catapulted it into power in 2004 and 2009 in a row. Party and government leaders failed to read the writing on the wall at the appropriate time when remedial measures could be taken. Now the time is not on the side of Congress party. It has committed blunders. So, it has to pay for it. Aam Admi Party Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is going to be the greatest challenge for Congress party. Kejwal’s Aam Admi party has taught both the major parties Congress and BJP how a commoner could achieve pinnacle of glory in politics by connecting with the common people. The realization appears to have dawned on Congress party after it suffered a shocking defeat in the just concluded state assembly elections in MP, Chattishgarh, Rajashthan and Delhi that the Aam Admi can not be ignored if it were to be in reckoning for power in Lok Sabha elections. Congress party Vice President and its future hope Rahul Gandhi appears to be learning lesson from the one and half year old Aam Admi Party, which has thrown his party out of power in Delhi only on the strength of connecting itself with Aam Admi and infusing among the common Delhiites a sense that they are part and parcel of the government. This is the importance of Aam Admi in democracy. On the one hand Aam Admi were confronting with the problems of rising inflation and corruption day by day and the Congress-led UPA government was busy only with making false promises to bring down price and check corruption at frequent intervals on the other. The Congress-led UPA government, which had come to power on the basis of support from the Aam Admi, has failed miserably to identify with them. The defeat of the Congress party in just concluded assembly elections is the reflection of the anger of Aam Admi with the government. The chief characteristic of the Congress-led UPA government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been the skyrocketing price of essential commodities, food grains, green vegetables, milk and all other edible items and rampant corruption at all levels. The poor have become poorer and the rich have become richer. The Aam Admi have been neglected in the regime of UPA all these 10 years. Had the Congress-led UPA been sensible, it must have acted seriously to bring down price and rein in corruption. It is good that Rahul Gandhi is following Aam Admi. He has pitched for giving Lok Sabha tickets to ordinary workers and those having a clean image as he unveiled a new process that will see early declaration of Congress nominees. In an unprecedented step, the Congress Vice-President convened a meeting of newly appointed chairpersons of screening committees for all states and UTs to set in motion the process that would reflect the voice of the people.