arvind-kejriwal-did-the-knight-in-shining-armour-forget-about-the-crusade

It is ironic for a Ramon Magsaysay Award winner, a crusader against corruption, to be jailed for alleged corruption.

 

The prestigious Magsaysay award was conferred upon Arvind Kejriwal in 2006 for his campaign against corruption in government. Eighteen years later he is behind bars for alleged corruption.

In fact, Kejriwal is the fourth leader from a political party born from an anti-corruption campaign to be jailed for alleged financial wrongdoing. Despite claims of political persecution and vendetta, the four leaders are finding it difficult to get any relief from courts.

 

Apart from Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Kejriwal, the others include former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, former health minister Satyendar Jain and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. Jain has been accused of disproportionate assets and money laundering while the others have been arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor scam.

The rise of AAP as a political party has its foundations in the anti-corruption mass movement, India Against Corruption (IAC), in 2013. Kejriwal, with anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare, lawyer Prashant Bhushan, social activist and IPS (retd) Kiran Bedi and several civil society members were at the forefront of the movement.

 

However, All of them distanced themselves later from Kejriwal as differences arose between them. In fact, on Friday, Hazare  was quoted in the media blaming Kejriwal for the current situation, saying, “I am very upset that Arvind Kejriwal, who used to work with me, raise his voice against liquor, is now making liquor policies. He has been arrested because of his own deeds.”

 

Though Kejriwal, during his anti-corruption crusade, would repeatedly assert that he was not interested in a career in politics, he soon founded AAP and contested the elections held in December 2013. In a house of 70, the AAP won 28 seats while the BJP was the single largest party with 32 seats.

 

The Congress, in power for three consecutive terms, just won eight seats. That was primarily because of the aggressive anti-corruption campaign against the party led by Kejriwal.

 

Ironically, just to keep BJP out, the Congress extended ‘outside’ support to AAP and helped it form the government, which lasted just for 49 days, following which Kejriwal and his government resigned. 

 

Delhi remained under President’s rule for about a year and assembly elections were held in February 2015. AAP then won a sweeping majority, winning 67 of the 70 seats, with BJP reduced to a humiliating three seats from 32 even as the Congress, in power just over a year ago, drew a blank.

 

It must be noted that despite AAP and the opposition parties crying foul, the Delhi Liquor Policy aroused suspicions at the very outset after its announcement and implementation with even the Congress - showing its solidarity to Kejriwal - raising a hue and cry at that time.

 

Eventually, the Delhi government withdrew the policy, which many claim is an admission of wrongdoing. 

 

Despite playing the "victim of vendetta card,” AAP has not been able to get any relief from courts. The ED did not arrest Kejriwal till the Delhi High Court refused to pass orders granting interim protection from coercive action. This was after he failed to appear before the ED even after nine summons were served to him. 

What does the future look like for Arvind Kejriwal – a man who was once hailed as a hero of the common man for his war on corruption? Will he and AAP be able to overcome the crisis and fly the party’s flag high again?