‘Kejriwal’s way of working is ‘my way or the highway’. If you don’t say Kejriwal zindabad then you will be thrown out of the party.’
‘I feel Kejriwal is a very darpok (frightened) man. When he lost in the Lok Sabha elections his strength disappeared and he started compromising.’
Aam Aadmi Party rebel Pankaj Pushkar speaks out.
Pankaj Pushkar is the lone dissident MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi.
Elected to the Delhi assembly from Timarpur, he was suspended last week after he demanded a discussion on the economically weaker category in schools despite the Speaker’s objection.
Pankaj Pushkar, image, below, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com how the AAP has become a dictatorial party and how Arvind Kejriwal’s Lokpal has become a ‘jokepal’.
What is the problem with Kejriwal's Lokpal Bill? Why are you against it?
The first problem is that the Lokpal must be independent from politicians and the government. This was the basic structure of Lokpal, which has been compromised now.
So what is new in this Lokpal vis a vis which you wanted?
This Lokpal is dhoka (betrayal). Firstly, who will appoint the Lokpal? During the Lokpal movement (of Anna Hazare) we had decided that there will be a working committee in which there will be one or two people from the political establishment. But now, the Delhi government has the power to appoint the Lokpal whereas the motto was that independent people of high credentials from the civil society or judiciary will appoint the Lokpal and they will be in a majority.
The original Lokpal bill had a maximum of two politicians in a committee of eight but in Kejriwal’s Lokpal, out of four there are three political appointees.
What is the reason for this change of stance?
He is not saying anything. Kejriwal is only giving dhoka. He is compromising. Our aim was to eradicate corruption but I feel his aim was to grab power. Today his two ministers had to be sacked, five AAP MLAs have gone to jail so the responsibility of removing corruption is more now.
And instead of bringing in an independent Lokpal, Kejriwal is bringing in a jokepal. He is bringing in a puppet who will dance to the tunes of the Delhi government and the political class so the whole purpose is defeated. Lakhs of people left their jobs, left families and gave money to AAP. They all have been cheated.
What is happening in AAP today?
There is anarchy in the AAP. They have lost a sense of direction. AAP has become a chaaploos (bootlickers) party. Half of the party members are from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress. So the BJP and Congress culture has overtaken AAP from within. I will say anti-movement forces and anti-party elements have taken over the party. And Kejriwal is in the grip of anti-party elements.
Are you disillusioned?
No, I am not. I believe in value-based politics. I don’t do any individual politics. There is no personal grudge against Kejriwal. I have this love and hate relationship with him. But the question is not about love or hate, na? It is about values, and the AAP was formed for values and dreams which have now completely taken a beating. AAP was formed as a weapon in Delhi to fight against corruption. It was like a cooperative movement and that purpose is completely defeated.
Do you feel corruption has become less or is finished in Delhi?
They are doing it in a very childish way. They are giving advertisements all over and telling lies. I still hope that Kejriwal gets his senses back.
What are you doing individually as a suspended MLA?
I am not alone. I am the voice of a group. All over the country people support me. There are people like Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav who still support me.
Do you feel the saying 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely' has come true in case of Kejriwal?
Yes, it is a normal rule, however there are exceptions too. Unfortunately Kejriwal has failed to prove he can be an exception.
Why are you not getting support from other AAP MLAs?
They support me from the heart though they may not support me openly. They cannot support me openly because there is dictatorship in the party. They feel suppressed but they love me. They cannot come out in the open and talk independently because there is dictatorship in the party. Kejriwal’s way of working is ‘my way or the highway’.
If you don’t say Kejriwal zindabad then you will be thrown out of the party. Any person who speaks the truth or says something against Kejriwal, he will be thrown out of AAP. But history has proved that many dictators have fallen and Kejriwal will learn this with time.
How did you feel on seeing Kejriwal embrace Lalu Yadav during Nitish Kumar’s oath-taking ceremony in Bihar?
I was not saddened but I was surprised to see that. Kejriwal is making many mistakes and this was also one of the mistakes. The people of Delhi did not vote for Kejriwal to make a Mahagatbandhan in Bihar. They voted for Kejriwal because they wanted their work to get done.
It is not about Lalu Yadav alone. On that stage there was former chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit and Sharad Pawar too. He used to accuse all these people of various things. I think he has got it wrong, that the enemy’s enemy is my friend. Now, he has learnt from Bihar and today there is goondagardi in the Delhi assembly. In Delhi this is the beginning of goonda raj.
So you think AAP has started goonda raj in Delhi?
You see, a BJP MLA was thrown out of the assembly. I had predicted this three days ago, that violence will take place in the Delhi assembly. I have myself been threatened. I have filed an FIR on this issue. I have been stopped from working in the assembly though I am an MLA.
I am told you had quit your job to work for clean politics?
The fight for justice in any society is not easy. It is always a difficult fight. The roads are never smooth on this path. One must keep this fact in mind, that you will have to pay a price for it. I will also pay a price but I feel fortunate to do this.
When do you think Kejriwal lost the pulse of the people, when did he lose touch with reality?
I feel Kejriwal is a very darpok (frightened) man. When he lost in the Lok Sabha elections his strength disappeared and he started compromising. Greed also played a part, the greed to grab power. He felt that without power you cannot do any work. This was wrong. And therefore his downfall began. I hope we see a good Kejriwal and I will be very happy.
What is your future as the suspended rebel MLA of AAP?
Whatever God decides will be my fate, whatever the public decides will be my fate. I became an MLA and I was very happy. Tomorrow, if I am not an MLA, then also I will be happy.
Image: (top) Arvind Kejriwal.
