Shiban Khaibri
Winston Churchill once said, “This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end , this is just perhaps the end of the beginning.” Arvind Kejriwal, perhaps must be feeling much at the top psychologically more than politically with his hat trick of capturing Delhi for another five years and with no less flying colours than those of 2015. This writer was in NCR for nearly a month till the end of January this year and saw lot many ‘big hoardings ‘ with the inset of Kejriwal with smiles ” revealing more and hiding less” reading “Acchey Beetay 5 Saal, Lagey Raho Kejriwal ” or the gone five years were better and continue Kejriwal further. Being restlessly eager to know about politics around, I inquired from many a person from the cross section which I could manage within my limits, about whose Delhi it would be on February 11. Most of the responses were definitely not in favour of Kejriwal and his Aam Admi Party. Though a few were apprehensive of ‘Badda Dramabaz hai Ji , kutcch Khichdi Bana Raha Hoga , magar nahin ayeega…” Hardly needs a translation. Most of the few whom I had a chance to get the feel of goings on about Delhi elections, however, were unequivocally one in apprehending that Kejriwal , the master knew how to wriggle out of the tight spot .
They further deciphered the entire narrative by asking as, on the one hand while he claims that Modi never allowed him to work for the betterment of Delhi , make it London like all these years , how come he now says that “Acchey bette paanch saal ” and claims votes for his ‘work’. In today’s politics in India , you have , under most of the circumstances, to be a professional concentrating on how to outwit not only your adversary or a competitive challenger even with better merits but even the ordinary people by using tools of all that remotely even are not in the Rules Book of the game – promises, alibis, falsehood, victimhood, lies, exploitation of sentiments and what not. Just see, Manish Sisodia , the Dy. Chief Minister , when asked by a reporter, as to whether he was with Shaheen Bagh, he replied “I am with Shaheen Bagh” and what about JNU, the reporter asked next, ” I am with JNU also” was all to be with both these entities in their negative and ugly part of the side . While it was expected that he would be taught a lesson as Shaheen Bagh yelled with cries that had remotely got nothing to do with the innocent and “Mufut main Budnam Hua” CAA, he sailed through with difficulty with a margin of just 3000 votes and he being an associate of master player Kejriwal, has learnt where to speak what provided that benefitted the trade . Now, it needs to be seen and properly analysed that how come Amanat Ullah Khan , one of the architects of Shaheen Bagh stir got 81% votes from Okhla seat which include Shaheen Bagh and Jamia areas. His “secular and peaceful ” speeches are well recorded. However, why all Muslims united (ly) voted for AAP and not to speak for the beta – noire BJP, did not vote for “secular” Congress either. It was cleverly spun and well planned to prevent any Muslim vote split to see BJP was routed, which in most of the seats lost by a paltry percentage. Is this not real polarisation ? Why the monopolistic liberals and trade mark secularists are silent and instead term it as victory of governance?
Biased journalists and those ones, who have pawned their journalistic ethics with their Masters, would call it victory of secularism and cry at the top “Polarisation, Polarisation, Bhagwa colouring” and what not if rarely Hindus unite and voted for BJP . What fault has Hindus done who must be seen only divided and not united. Are their faults and sins not punished enough all these 72 years even after their Congress leaders Gandhi Ji and Nehru Ji succumbed to the pressures of fanatic Jinnah by dividing this country to carve out another country exclusively for Muslims . Muslims got Pakistan, Bangladesh and more than half of Kashmir, what Hindus got – only Secularism? It is one of the broad analyses and in the instant case , “communal” Hindus voted on secular basis whereas “secular” Muslims voted on communal basis.
It is the time to recall 14 points agenda of Jinnah which way back in 1928 called for representation in legislatures , voting and elections on communal lines. That became the edifice and the basis of asking for an exclusive country from out of India for Muslims . Polarisation of the sort, we saw in Delhi elections was sounding warning bells for the integrity of the country. Governance , governance et-al is a ruse and diversionary tactics. Najeeb jung , former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi recently spoke on issues post Delhi elections. He said, “India remains secular because of Hindus , they are 80 percent of the population and follow Sanatan Dharam, India is not secular because of Muslims.” Just be sincere in saying if it would have been the other way, would India have been secular? We know even in Britain, in London itself there are “No Go Zones” for non -Muslims in the city of Birmingham.
Likewise, Ballimaran seat was won by Imran Hussain by a record margin of 66000 votes . The same was true of other seats like Saleempur and Matia Mahal where Muslim candidates won with huge margins . Those who talk of ‘good governance’ having dominated the Delhi polls conveniently ignore that Kejriwal himself attended a meeting where all Maozzins and Imams of Delhi were invited on Jan 23, this year where he, demonstrated the gift of the gab by saying “Tan -Man -Dhan from my government for you” and announced a hike of salaries of both these two categories associated with religious duties in mosques under Waqaf Board and those mosques which were outside the domain of Delhi Waqaf Board would get Rs. 14000 and Rs.12000 respectively per month direct from the public exchequer of Delhi. His two ‘secular’ Muslim Ministers who were there in the gathering with Kejriwal bluntly and in pure business like manner asked for quid-pro-quo , telling all smiling clerics that they must reciprocate with voting for the broom as they wielded considerable influence in their “respective areas”. Do such decisions too come under good governance ? Do such things come under the policy of the state government remaining equidistant and not influenced by any religion since it has to follow the secular principles. Journalists with bias and anti Modi stance even put the captions of their reports and writings in negative way when describing victory of Aa Aa Party. They are up in arms against “Goli Maro” slogans which everybody must oppose as touching the lowest levels but would never report what was spoken by whom from the Aa Aa Party in Shaheen Bagh.
Free water , free power , free transport , free medicine like freebies played tremendous part and influence in these elections and now unconfirmed reports are that free gas too was the demand growing to be provided . It is interesting to know that the Delhi Jal Board is incurring losses and as per latest figures, the same are Rs.664 crore . While zero amount bills are mostly sent by the Board to the consumers for getting bonanza of 20000 litres of water free, separate bills of actual cost are sent to and are paid by Delhi government and not by Aa Aa Party or its leaders from their own personal sources . If freebies and largesse are the hall mark of running Governments, then we have to produce new Economists with magic developmental theories and redefine concepts of growth, progress, surplus, deficits , budgets, taxes and what not. This is a political vote catching disease and shall travel fast like an epidemic . It is better to oppose it tooth and nail before it becomes endemic.
However, the simple rule of the game is ” Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikander” or he who wins is the King. It is ridiculous and dishonesty if correct and critical analysis is not done. Even BJP won 8 seats and did not touch two digits mark , it is encouraging and sportsmanship like not blaming EVMs as it would have been with the Aa Aa Party if it had lost like the BJP. Instead , the Party has girded up its loins to address weaknesses and find out where and what went wrong. However, it is absolutely preposterous that Chidambaram of Congress Party should celebrate the victory of Kejriwal and congratulate him for defeating “Bluff and Bluster of BJP and their polarising, divisive and dangerous agenda.” He forgot about his Party not opening its account even and Ms. Sharmistha slammed gloating Chidambaram asking “Has Congress now outsourced task of defeating BJP to Regional Parties”. From the entire story, if anything is to be pitied over is the only aim and agenda of Congress being – defeating the BJP. To that a poet has said,
“Falaq Ko Zid Hai Jahan Bijlian Giraney Key — Hamen Bhi Zid Hai Vahen aashiyan bananey key.”
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