Just finished watching a program on Aaj-Tak where Kejariwal was grilled by an audience consisting of journos and industrialists. I don't know for sure but it must be the conclave for which he was flown to Delhi by India Today group. I joined the program midway where a journalist was reading out a piece of bad poetry ridiculing Kejariwal's dress sense and his persistent cough and calling him a fugitive who ran away from private sector to public sector to politics and then away from power. It was pathetic, outrageous, disgusting and clearly the act of a person whose motive was not journalism but some ulterior one.
Kejariwal did not respond and it must have given a lot of satisfaction to this man who was an epitome of people living off the fat of this country and holding the common man in contempt and having no qualms about snubbing him. Kejariwal could have given an equally acerbic response but did not do so. And he has won my heart by doing so. It shows that he is not yet a typical politician who has a witty response ready for all criticism, imagined or genuine. It shows that he has not yet imbibed the art of snobbery that helps one distance himself from Aam Aadmi and remains as vulnerable as an Aam-Aadmi. It shows that he is a really simple minded person who is vulnerable to such unethical and unscrupulous barbs from unethical sharp shooters. It shows that he is a person who is constantly focused on his purpose and not busy inventing clever cliches and responses. Kejariwal, I stand with you more firmly than ever.
Coming to this sharp shooter's comments, here are my observations. Nothing could be in worse taste than ridiculing a person for dressing like a common man. And one who calls Kejariwal a fugitive must be someone whose upbringing tells him to stick to exploits of power at all costs and come what may. Must be a person who would lick the feet of those who can do him a favor and kick at those who are either not in a position to do so or would not do so. I wonder if he would have the guts to read out such sickening poetry to a RaGa or a NaMo or a Sonia or a Mulayam or a Lalu et al.
Can we not understand the simple fact that providing sops was not AAPs goal even though they have done so for the simple tactical reason that those who stood for change do not get weaned and swept away by the pied pipers of the establishment. Their goal can ONLY be achieved by creating the anti-corruption infrastructure in the form of a credible Lokpal and NO OTHER MEANS. And hence the decision to quit after this move was defeated was the ONLY CORRECT RESPONSE. In fact if AAP had decided to stick to power that would be suspicious indeed.
As regards his constant movement and not sticking to anything including power, a sane person would see it as the sign of a vibrant intellect that is constant alive to its environment and committed to his purpose. Sticking to a plum position in government like a corrupt-to-the-bone rishwatkhor, or to a post (खूंटा) like a buffalo or a seat of power like one of our sickening leaders is becoming of only a decadent, corrupt and obnoxious person and not a visionary or a revolutionary like Kejariwal. Movement alone is the sign of life.
Journalists would do well to expel the person who read out this poetry from their profession.
Kejariwal did not respond and it must have given a lot of satisfaction to this man who was an epitome of people living off the fat of this country and holding the common man in contempt and having no qualms about snubbing him. Kejariwal could have given an equally acerbic response but did not do so. And he has won my heart by doing so. It shows that he is not yet a typical politician who has a witty response ready for all criticism, imagined or genuine. It shows that he has not yet imbibed the art of snobbery that helps one distance himself from Aam Aadmi and remains as vulnerable as an Aam-Aadmi. It shows that he is a really simple minded person who is vulnerable to such unethical and unscrupulous barbs from unethical sharp shooters. It shows that he is a person who is constantly focused on his purpose and not busy inventing clever cliches and responses. Kejariwal, I stand with you more firmly than ever.
Coming to this sharp shooter's comments, here are my observations. Nothing could be in worse taste than ridiculing a person for dressing like a common man. And one who calls Kejariwal a fugitive must be someone whose upbringing tells him to stick to exploits of power at all costs and come what may. Must be a person who would lick the feet of those who can do him a favor and kick at those who are either not in a position to do so or would not do so. I wonder if he would have the guts to read out such sickening poetry to a RaGa or a NaMo or a Sonia or a Mulayam or a Lalu et al.
Can we not understand the simple fact that providing sops was not AAPs goal even though they have done so for the simple tactical reason that those who stood for change do not get weaned and swept away by the pied pipers of the establishment. Their goal can ONLY be achieved by creating the anti-corruption infrastructure in the form of a credible Lokpal and NO OTHER MEANS. And hence the decision to quit after this move was defeated was the ONLY CORRECT RESPONSE. In fact if AAP had decided to stick to power that would be suspicious indeed.
As regards his constant movement and not sticking to anything including power, a sane person would see it as the sign of a vibrant intellect that is constant alive to its environment and committed to his purpose. Sticking to a plum position in government like a corrupt-to-the-bone rishwatkhor, or to a post (खूंटा) like a buffalo or a seat of power like one of our sickening leaders is becoming of only a decadent, corrupt and obnoxious person and not a visionary or a revolutionary like Kejariwal. Movement alone is the sign of life.
Journalists would do well to expel the person who read out this poetry from their profession.
