Is motormouth Kejriwal the Indian Donald Trump?
Rudeness and aggression has erupted, yet again, from the newest kids on the block. It might synch well with North Indian machismo especially in Delhi, where far too many people fight over the right to live without electricity and water. To push their insecurity through dramatic encounters with the big-state-that-does-not-care is easily done. Passing the buck is also easily done. It is always simpler to oppose than to govern.
Even if you have a brute majority, as they do in Delhi, AAP can still claim victimhood.
Has Kejriwal discovered this magic formula, like Donald Trump - to amass a following of the unreasonable? Thus what we might soon find is that the abuse and manufactured anger generated by the Aam Aadmi Party will further escalate, as soon as UP and Punjab elections approach. Where will this lead us, eventually? Can intemperate language, accusations, abusive words, anger and dharnas be our daily diet more or less the year round?
Perhaps, it remains the best way to attract media attention. Whether it means people will be convinced that you are actually trying to deliver the goods is another story. Wild allegations often provide diversions from the real issues - and so while Donald Trump entertains, he is being taken less and less seriously.
Could it be that there are many promises that the AAP is finding hard to deliver? One which is quoted most often is the "cheap meal" scheme that was trumpeted before AAP came to power. Many among the economically weak sections in Delhi had sworn they would not eat at home, but in these promised havens. Nothing, of course, has happened because AAP has probably discovered that while promises are cheap, delivery is not. If questioned, they can again lie down on the streets and claim victimhood, raising the bogey of an obdurate centre.
The air pollution in Delhi is no coincidence. With this kind of abuse flying around, what do you expect? I was an AAP supporter when the party first came into existence. But the moment the tantrums and abusive lashings began, I realised it had been a mistake. Like Donald Trump, this party and its leaders can only be a temporary delusion. Not only is AAP not delivering to their core base of the poor and disenfranchised, they are also trying the patience of the middle class.
As Donald Trump will find out soon enough that people actually do not enjoy a constantly vengeful attitude, so will AAP. Fortunately, through their dramatic finger pointing and foul language, they are giving us a template of a party urban India would be uncomfortable with. India only likes, eventually, leaders who can build bridges not detonate them. Can they change? Perhaps it is possible, but in order to do that, Kejriwal will have to learn anger management, and his government will have to actually deliver.
A few months back I had accidentally met Kumar Vishwas at a gathering and informed him that we were facing some rather severe problems in our colony and asked if he could give me the local MLA's number (After all, you should be able to contact your local MLA in the new dispensation). He assured me that he would immediately ensure the MLA gets in touch.
Four months later, I am still waiting. I even ate the humble pie and reminded him about it... But if I, as a columnist and fairly well connected individual, get no response from this "boy band"... what hope is there for the others?
The answer might be that they too are only looking for supplicants who will join them in their dharnas and abuse. This is going to become increasingly difficult for them in Delhi and elsewhere. The question is, can either they - or Donald Trump in the US - change their behaviour?
Right now, it looks tough.
Delhi, please wake up.