The Descent from Hope to Hopeless

Rewind 13 years back in time to 2011. India Against Corruption (IAC) - an apolitical anti-corruption movement rose to prominence in India, specially in Delhi, with large wave of protests against brazen corrupt practices of the Congress government. The campaign gained immence popularity through social media which was also gathering increasing base in India at the same time. Most of these supporters were from educated middle class, ordinary citizens who were totally disenchanted with corruption in public life.

A movement of this scale was earlier seen in India only twice - during the Independence movement in preindependence era and JP movement in 1970s. Infact a slogan was very popular during that time - "Pichli ladai gorose, Abki ladai chorose". People born after 1970s had not seen any such a mass movement but they could see the rampant corruption all around them. IAC movement thus offered them a ray of hope and crores of people saw a new sunrise in them and participitated directly/indirectly. I also was one of those.

Such uprisings against governments usually start as social movements but to effect the change they seek one cannot just oppose government but also have to offer an alternative. So the logical progression of such social movements is a political movement. and history tells us that generally the leaders of these two stages are different. The movements usually originate and gather their mass appeal on the strength of selfless, visionary leadership. But when these movements metamorphize into political movements, the leadership moves into diffrent hands. Freedom movement had Mahatma Gandhi and JP movement has JP at the helm. Anna Hazare was thought to be the leader of the IAC movement. It was Nehru who took over the leadership from Mahatma Gandhi when we became independent, It was Morarji who was the head of the government that was born out of JP movement.

On similar lines, a young person named Arvind Kejriwal, who appeared to be a true, committed disciple of Anna with indomitable fighting spirit emerged as the Nehru to Anna's Gandhi. Since Anna was not interested in making IAC a political movement, a political outfit named "Aam Aadmi Party" emerged out of the IAC movement under Kejriwal's leadership. And their playground was naturally national capital of Delhi. The activist in Kejriwal now had to the opprtunity to act and that was the day the descent began. and it turned out to be a one way, slippery slope.

The Hope of 2011 started getting unravelled rapidly once in the position of power. The activist very quickly degenerated into a conniving, power hungry, self centered maniac. Many of his colleagues in IAC movement days realized this very soon and had to part ways or were made to part ways. In 2013, he said, “Main apne bachchon ki kasam khata hoon - We will not support either BJP or Congress". He further said, “I am not power hungry. We will not form a coalition government because we cannot end corruption by allying either with BJP or Congress. We will sit in opposition rather than forming a coalition government. This is clear.” In same year, he formed government with congress support. Today he has formed alliance with Congress.

Kejriwal rose politically with staunch anti-corruption plank. He claimed to have dossiers against many corrupt leaders, mostly from Congress. He used to declare people convicts in press conferences. He would ask the government to immediately put such people in jail, without any trial. The tragic irony is that he himself is now engulfed and got caught in grave corrupt practices. He used to claim to be an Aam Aadmi. In order to cultivate that image, he would intentionally show poor dressing sense with ill fitting clothes. He initially continued to live in a modest house - he famously refused to move into the bungalow reserved for CM of Delhi and travelled by a modest wagonr. But very soon he started living a grandiose life. He spent crs of taxpayers money on his Sheeshmahal. To retain power, he brought in a economically disastrous, fiscally reckless freebie culture of free electricity, water, bus rides. He claims to have built world class mohalla clinics. But every now and then he travels to Bengaluru for basic treatments, his leaders travel to London. To gain power in Punjab, he is said to have compromized on national security by getting funded by radical, separatist elements. In order to survive politically, the self certified "Kattar Imandar" joined forces with the very same corrupt netas and parties whom he used to curse day in and day out. Now he has hit another low in the Maliwal case, his own chosen MP gets attacked in his own home and he stays silent.

The descent has been sharp and dramatic. The Hope has degenerated into Hopeless.