The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which governs Delhi state, has called off its dharna, or protest, in the city after some concessions by Delhi Police.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which governs Delhi state, has called off its dharna, or protest, in the city after some concessions by Delhi Police. Many found the idea of a chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, taking to the streets in his own state, absurd. After all, isn't it the job of an elected government to govern, instead of staging showy demonstrations
This argument misses an anomaly in the heart of Delhi politics. Delhi's state government has fewer powers than other state governments. Crucially, the government of Delhi does not have any authority over Delhi Police, which reports to the Union home ministry through the lieutenant governor. Delhi Police is not accountable to the elected government of Delhi. The AAP's campaign was ostensibly focused on getting a few cops who allegedly took no action on certain crimes in the city, sacked. But its s real goals extend way beyond.
First, it wants control of Delhi's police forces to be shifted to the elected government. This is what former chief minister Sheila Dikshit tried, and failed to get, for 15 years. This is a legitimate demand. Yet, the AAP is also guilty of resorting to vigilantism, when its law minister tried to force policemen to arrest some Africans without warrants, based on rumour and racial profiling. The same minister now faces six criminal charges filed by Delhi Police. Whether this incident exposed the the AAP's lack of administrative experience or whether it was a political manoeuvre leading to the dharna is not clear. But if the AAP is to govern according to the law, it cannot resort to extralegal methods itself.
Second, the Delhi dharna was the beginning of the AAP's campaign for Lok Sabha elections. It was a lowcost, high-impact method to get its message of being humble, upright and rooted, to millions of Indians, by harnessing the power of live television coverage. Kejriwal and his colleagues learnt this lesson during the Jan Lokpal stir. And agitation is what the AAP does best. Yet, by its sporadic vigilantism, the AAP has left itself open to the charge that it would rather agitate than administer.
source - TOI
As far my understanding,
ReplyDeleteAAP politics is different from others as mentioned here.
for polularity and vote bank politics, AAP don't promote communal riots like BJP congress do. Let common man die killing each other in the street and they keep sitting in their AC offices and give instructions.
AAP leaders don't send their A wing, B wing or unknown people to give demos (like AAP office attacked or black ink thrown ok AK or Eggs thrown on Kumar Vishvas) on the street and then claim that their parties don't have any association with them and they condemn it. (Media likes it)
AAP leaders don't believe in devide and rule and never try to polarize the environment like it was done in Guajarat in 2002 and in Muzaffar Nagar in 2013.
AAP leaders have guts and come forward themselves in the road to protect people from police inhumanity.