Thank You, Mr Arvind Kejriwal

“This is my bat. I am not out. If you want to play, accept it or get lost,” was the common refrain of a dear childhood friend who owned a bat, months before we had one.

Every time he would lose his wicket on a duck, he insisted he didn’t, and we kids used to accept it unwillingly, after all we had to play.

Courtesy google

Today I really want to say a big thank you to Mr Arvind Kejriwal—he has literally reminded me of my childhood days—that old forgotten friend—the hours I spent playing gully cricket and the electricity pole of my narrow lane which served as wickets.

I thank him for all the overwhelming nostalgia I am feeling today.

Honestly speaking I have never been a good sportsman but I can say one thing for sure that my love for the playground, forgetting meals for playing gully cricket—have pained my good mother many times.

Though, sometimes, she used to pass on those pains to me too.

But what has Kejriwal to do with all this? A million dollar question indeed.

I don’t know why but I felt a striking similarity between Kejri’s recent stance and that of my friend, the proud owner of a cricket bat around 20 years ago.

Recently at the party’s national executive—the party which was till date perceived as a mass (middle class) movement—Kejriwal said that party men will have to choose between him and so called ‘dissidents.’

No voting, no democracy on the issue—Kejriwal owned the proverbial bat (party) while his party men were the mohalla kids who did not have any option but side with him, if they still wanted to be in the game.

Personally speaking, AAP has always maintained its surprise potential. The party threw up a surprise in its maiden assembly polls by unexpected performance—thereafter by its dismal show in parliamentary elections— and again with the unexpected victory in Delhi assembly polls.

It has also been a very interesting subject for understanding mass psychology—but this time it has also given me some personal psychological lessons.

Look at how we connect and perceive things—I took an interview of Kiran Bedi, before the formation of AAP (this name was also not announced till then)—Kejriwal had only announced that a party will be constituted.

There was chaos among over enthusiastic volunteers of Anna Movement. The largest faction of Anna movement wanted to shift to Kejriwal’s side.

(Note: Chaos has always been an integral part of AAP even before its formation. But that again is not a bad thing, a characteristic of any mass movement)

Volunteers in my city (Indore) also met Bedi who was there to attend a function and expressed their desire to join Kejriwal’s upcoming party.

In that interview, Bedi talked about events that led to the formation of India Against Corruption (IAC). She told me that prior to IAC’s formation, there was corruption everywhere – the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam, 2G scam etc.

It was during then, that Kejriwal came to her with proof about rampant corruption which he was collecting as he was fed up with contemporary conditions.

“He came to me and said we should lodge an FIR. He came to me with the issue I had been with the police,” Bedi told me during interview.

Subsequently they held a press conference and things started with the press conference later led to formation of IAC where in due course Anna Hazare was roped in.

At that time, and even till date I have perceived the interview like, it was actually Kejriwal who led and planned something tangible instead of just getting depressed. It was he who actually felt the suffering of the common man and his vision that formed IAC.

But in light of recent events, can the gist of that interview be perceived as an astute planning by a shrewd man with individual political aspirations? Or a far sighted plan by an ambitious autocrat?

Whatever the answer, all I want to do today is thank Kejriwal for reminding me of my old friend. I spoke to him today after so many years – big thanks Mr ‘Anarchist’.