Let me take the easy and lazy way out this time by resorting to some cut and paste journalism. I shall reproduce below some sections from this column written during the run up to the formation of AAP. Despite the possible irritations that an ‘I told you so’ smirk evokes, I will still do this because the issues discussed are even more relevant now.
Aam Aadmi Party is a concept or an idea that has taken a political shape in order to achieve its publicly stated objectives through Constitutional means. The Constitution actually recognises only Members and not political parties, inside the Parli. Parties gain credence only through the Representation of People’s Act, Anti-defection law and the tradition of whip. But if the nation were to send lone reps or groups of them to Parli, the Constitution has absolutely no objection to that.
Now to those promised quotable quotes:
Politically yours 12 Aug, ‘12
‘No house can be set in order or cleaned up from outside and that includes the hallowed Houses that run the country. Team Anna (that-was)’s decision to take the political plunge, therefore, is a natural organic development that should be welcomed. Is it not a good test of the samaritans’ motives and mettle as also of the citizens’ seriousness to shed the baggage of sleaze?
Now, whose fault is it to have imagined that the corruption crusade is a third party operation while the ubiquitous ‘us’, all the affected prajas, can remain on the sidelines as spectators offering just lip sympathy? Fact is, the fight against corruption cannot be outsourced to a small group, howsoever good its intentions and strong the will. After all corruption is not a distant political issue but a public cause, nay, everyone’s personal matter. So, despite the natural aversion to politics to many, it must be understood that the system cannot be sanitised without getting one’s own hands dirty.
Also, in a diverse and far-flung nation as ours, only people’s reps free from the overarching commitment to a party or an egoist leader, can serve his or her electorate well. Annaists should therefore steer clear of this party apparatus that diverts and destroys public interest. They must instead contest as independents with their varying manifestoes, if need be, but only after an honesty self-check that can stand subsequent scrutiny. Having created an awareness and a platform for all good ones to gather they must consider their job done, as an organised group. The decentralisation from Jantar Mantar must now happen with the people’s initiative. So everyone is a potential poll candidate and this is a good time for well-meaning aspirants to make their bid by nurturing a constituency! Needless to say, they must know what they are getting into and what to expect.
Our Independence can be salvaged only by independents. It may be a small step in a painful and slow journey. But exorcising our haunted Houses of the long lingering ghosts and their ghoulish legacy is no easy task’.
Mixing Politics …12 Oct, ‘12
‘… Winning, of course, is a different ball game. The electoral system is heavily loaded in favour of existing political parties. The new arrival will have to reckon with money, muscle and media, all of which can jointly and severally queer the pitch. It is an unequal battle vis-a-vis the first two. But a frugal and non-violent volunteer force, in an otherwise vulgarly expensive and voluble election campaign scenario, is bound to stand out, more so in this tech driven age wherein info about a good candidate can be spread in a jiffy. The media, given their nature, is an unreliable ally, despite Kejiriwal’s well-meaning overtures to them at the launch. He can check that out with Anna— if they are still on talking terms!
The main plus of X party is the absence of any political baggage. Those behind it have been in public glare only for some time now. They do no also seem to have a personal axe to grind, but one never knows. At best they can be accused of naivette and knee-jerk idealism. That the activists have made bold to take the plunge to purge the system from the inside is itself laudable. They have done this despite the overwhelming skepticismof their own mentor and mates. Nor have the criminal proclivities of their main bete noir, the Cong, become a deterrent.
In my view, the leader-driven party system is the bane of our politics. But then, can a grouping of equals offer any meaningful solution and earn public confidence? Indeed, the vertical split in the anti-corruption movement is itself proof that well-meaning and intelligent people are unlikely to agree on anything. We can only hope that the new outfit and its inevitable clones will side-step the minefields of a monolithic High Command-centric institution and personality clashes and field credible, committed candidates sensitive to people’s present frustrations. Aravind & Co must also cede constituencies to good candidates who may not want to contest under their banner. That will be a good test of their stated intentions. Of course, the voters will face a bigger test for they would have lesser excuses to crib over bad alternatives’.
I rest my trumpet now.
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