The Aam Aadmi Party’s claims of being ‘different’ have been often shown to be hollow when confronted by reality. The latest is its response to Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s arrest by the CBI. The claim is not that he is innocent – it is that he is such a wonderful education minister and doesn’t deserve such treatment. And, with this, the assertion that ‘good politics’ requires equality before the law is shattered to bits. How many of those who face criminal charges have the luxury of mobs protesting outside government offices, or obstructing officials in the conduct of their duties on their behalf? This is a privilege enjoyed by entitled politicians and Aam Aadmi Party is no different.
The ‘greatness’ argument also does not hold water. Harvey Weinstein is a multiple award winning filmmaker and has thereby contributed ‘greatly’ to the creative arts. However, at no time during his trials for multiple rapes has it been argued that this earned him special privileges in any way. But Indian politicians, it seems, belong to a different breed.
Sisodia is being sought to be portrayed as a victim of BJP’s vendetta politics. But, what if the allegations are true? Already, a Delhi Minister has been languishing in jail on corruption charges. Revelations have emerged of the luxuries he has enjoyed behind bars courtesy his political connections. Does it not reveal that AAP’s claims of moral superiority are only for public consumption?
Instead, the narrative sought to be promoted is that all the institutions involved in such prosecutions are the ones that are corrupt and subservient to the government in power. Among other things, does that not reveal what AAP politicians believe about officials and agencies under their own jurisdiction? Does Sisodia not have faith in the courts that will look into the matter? If he is exonerated, that would be the right time to celebrate. All the dramatics previous to that can only be considered an attempt to pressurise the prosecution and the judge through street level action not unsimilar to how the Punjab Government was made to let off an accused person by a bunch of armed radicals. This is not the level to which either politics or law and order should descend in modern day India.
