Arvind Kejriwal, AAP & Identity Politics- Prof R R Pillai
For all those who think AAP & Arvind Kejriwal’s spectacular victory of 28 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections recently out of seventy seats cornering 24% of voters due to the offering of clean, transparent corruption free non communal, non identity politics pause a while here is an eye opener.
ET reports ” Two days before Delhi’s December 4 elections,Maulana Syed JawadNaqvi,an influntial Muslim Cleric held a press conference in Delhi, asking Muslims to not vote for either Congress or BJP but for a third party. Maulana Naqvi’s appeal was published prominantly in Delhi’s Urdu Press.”
ET Further reports ,under a forum called United Muslim Forum adverisements were released in Delhi’s Urdu newspapers with a specific call ” Vote For AAP Not Congress “. 25 teams tasked with campaigning against Congress were sent to Delhi constituencies with significant Muslim presence under the the guidance of this Muslim Forum.
And this anger of Muslim Community against the Congress was not because Congress was corrupt but because one PIB accredited journalist Ahmed Kazmi was arrested by Delhi police charging with aiding in a plot to bomb an Israeli Embassy car in Delhi. And in another, the anger was due to wakf property land grab,which houses Muslim religious structures. (Read Full Story in ET)
Thus the cat is out. AAP got stunning success not because of all idealism stirred youth votes and cl;ean politics campaign but a major votes of accruing due to Identity politics of Muslim Cmmunity. Leaders of AAP were aware althrough this under current and accepted it without a demur.
When the ads in the Delhi Urdu newspapers specifically called the Muslims to vote for AAP, why Arvind Kejriwal ,The Mr Clean for honest politics and AAP leaders did not oppose such dirty identity communal politics of Muslim Community to favour AAP with votes ,just because they were angry with Congress for its misdeeds ,hurting the sentiments of Muslim Community and not because they embraced clean politics.
Kejriwal who tom tommed transformation of Indian politics from traditional dirty politics of Caste Community Religion through clean people frindly politics didn’t mind the play of this identity politics of Muslim Community so obviously.
AAP should have countered with ads or used Twitter and other cheap social media condemning this Muslim Vote bank politics and should have appealed voters to vote with conscience for good governace and not fall prey to Identity politics.
AAP has allowed its platform to be hijacked by Muslims to vent their anger against Congress. AAP and Kejriwal shiuld have challenged Muslim Community to form their own Political party and Contest elections under their Muslim Forum for cleaner politics instead of firing Congress from their shoulders.
But the clean man Arvind Kejriwal’s idealism went for a toss and he accepted gleefully the very dirty game of communal politics of Muslim voters in the desire for grabbing power. And with so called spectacular succees of clean politics AAP has become bold enough to announce quickly it will contest in other parts of India hoping to replicale Delhi Success.Cleaner politics or more of the same old cunning and crafty politics
But Citizens are watching the game of ghetto politics. AAP has shown it is one more of the same. Its clean face is now carrying the egg smashes of this dirty identical politics for power sake. Idealism filled youth and the common man suffering for long under corrupt practice of political class when they learn this aspect of AAPs identity politics are sure to disillusioned with AAP and soon desertion will follow. Kejriwal owes an answer to all those who believed in his politics of honesty truth and transparency, as to why he did not shun this communal politics.
AAP has committed harakiri. AAP has given Delhi a hung Assembly by allowing the play of dirty identity politics . Now it is for voters to decide whether AAP too is a chip of the so called old traditional political class or brand new one as it hailed itself.
AAP and Kejriwal has proved power corrupts everybody. AAP has swallowed the first dose of poison in playing along with identity politics. It will be interestig to watch how it survives this poison. Not So Clean Mr Clean and I can’t say I AM SOOOOO SORRY !
Varun
December 12th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Analyze the result. From most of the Muslim dominated areas, it is ACTUALLY Congress which has won. AAP’s support does transcend religious boundaries but is that a problem ? Engaging community leaders in campaign isnt really a problem. Sometimes you have to involve people who a certain electorate trusts to vouch for your honesty. Till they do not announce freebies to Muslims like Congress does, I do not see any issues in what AAP is doing.