It is not the thought of losing Delhi to AAP that most scares BJP, it is the introduction of a new norm. AAP has given people hope, they have provided an alternative. An alternative that is still scarce in politics the world over. An honest party. Just the fact that you have to put "honest" in front of their name speaks volumes about how common, and how normal, it is for a party to be corrupt. According to the corruption perceptions index, India is ranked 85/175 with a score of 38 for the year 2014[1]. What boggles one's mind is how people in India perceive themselves internally.
General population (of India) hate politicians, and the dirty politics they play. Obviously someone who has party affiliations would not agree. I am talking about those who vote for Akalis just because they are Sikh. I am taking about those who call Modi Modi "Ji". I am talking about those who were planning to build a temple dedicated to him[2]. Credit does go to Modi for discouraging it.
Quite frankly it is sickening to think anyone at all voted for BJP or Congress in Delhi elections, after they blocked the Jan Lokpal bill. It is further sickening to hear the BJP supporters criticize Kejriwal for resigning. For the record, Kejriwal did not run away, he resigned on a matter of principal. Why did media not question BJP and Congress's intent for blocking the bill? What reason could they possibly have for supporting corruption? Why did people of Delhi not hold BJP and Congress accountable?
For people of India, it used to be between the devil and the deep blue sea. When casting their ballot, people were given an option to pick - I hope you forgive the poetic licence - a choice of death. No matter what party you voted for, the only real option was choosing the candidates to run the country into ground. But that is true no longer. Indians no longer have to chose the lesser of the two evil. There is still hope!
To understand why corruption is rampant, one has to understand why it becomes impossible for the parties not to be corrupt. Parties take donations for canvassing, and campaigning elections. A large proportion of this donation comes from corporations, and it comes with a lot of strings attached. What does a company gain by donating money to a campaigning party? The donation comes with the unsaid (or maybe even said) expectation that, if the party were to win, they would provide concessions to the company. It comes with the expectation that the people who are helping the party will get kick backs if the party wins. It comes with the expectation that the corrupt people who sponsor and support the party will get immunity from prosecution.
And this is one of the reasons why AAP is different. By listing their donations on their website they promote transparency. By not accepting any money with strings attached, they can resist the influence of corrupt individuals and corporations. When the author tried to donate money to AAP on their website, his passport number was requested for some rudimentary verification. This process surely hurts the AAP, but they do it nonetheless. Why would a corporation (or individual) want to donate money to APP and be listed on their website as a sympathizer? What if AAP loses? Surely there would be repercussions. Would Congress or BJP (read any political party) not come after the companies that donated to AAP?
While we are on the subject, AAP did not do anything illegal by accepting those four checks of 50 lakh each that the media cannot stop talking about. The companies that donated the money are dodgy, but that is not AAP's fault. AAP did make a copy of their PAN card, and verified that the companies were officially registered. AAP as a political party cannot do any more. It is the responsibility of the Indian government to investigate further, if it feels the need. In all likelihood, it was probably an AAP sympathizer who did not want to be listed on their website. Someone while wanting AAP to win, did not think they would. Perhaps the fake companies was an insurance against AAP loss.
It is the corruption free politics that must give BJP and Congress and Akalis nightmares. And quite rightly so. Hey, Congress and BJP, it's fair dues.
1. http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results
2. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31433695
General population (of India) hate politicians, and the dirty politics they play. Obviously someone who has party affiliations would not agree. I am talking about those who vote for Akalis just because they are Sikh. I am taking about those who call Modi Modi "Ji". I am talking about those who were planning to build a temple dedicated to him[2]. Credit does go to Modi for discouraging it.
Quite frankly it is sickening to think anyone at all voted for BJP or Congress in Delhi elections, after they blocked the Jan Lokpal bill. It is further sickening to hear the BJP supporters criticize Kejriwal for resigning. For the record, Kejriwal did not run away, he resigned on a matter of principal. Why did media not question BJP and Congress's intent for blocking the bill? What reason could they possibly have for supporting corruption? Why did people of Delhi not hold BJP and Congress accountable?
For people of India, it used to be between the devil and the deep blue sea. When casting their ballot, people were given an option to pick - I hope you forgive the poetic licence - a choice of death. No matter what party you voted for, the only real option was choosing the candidates to run the country into ground. But that is true no longer. Indians no longer have to chose the lesser of the two evil. There is still hope!
To understand why corruption is rampant, one has to understand why it becomes impossible for the parties not to be corrupt. Parties take donations for canvassing, and campaigning elections. A large proportion of this donation comes from corporations, and it comes with a lot of strings attached. What does a company gain by donating money to a campaigning party? The donation comes with the unsaid (or maybe even said) expectation that, if the party were to win, they would provide concessions to the company. It comes with the expectation that the people who are helping the party will get kick backs if the party wins. It comes with the expectation that the corrupt people who sponsor and support the party will get immunity from prosecution.
And this is one of the reasons why AAP is different. By listing their donations on their website they promote transparency. By not accepting any money with strings attached, they can resist the influence of corrupt individuals and corporations. When the author tried to donate money to AAP on their website, his passport number was requested for some rudimentary verification. This process surely hurts the AAP, but they do it nonetheless. Why would a corporation (or individual) want to donate money to APP and be listed on their website as a sympathizer? What if AAP loses? Surely there would be repercussions. Would Congress or BJP (read any political party) not come after the companies that donated to AAP?
While we are on the subject, AAP did not do anything illegal by accepting those four checks of 50 lakh each that the media cannot stop talking about. The companies that donated the money are dodgy, but that is not AAP's fault. AAP did make a copy of their PAN card, and verified that the companies were officially registered. AAP as a political party cannot do any more. It is the responsibility of the Indian government to investigate further, if it feels the need. In all likelihood, it was probably an AAP sympathizer who did not want to be listed on their website. Someone while wanting AAP to win, did not think they would. Perhaps the fake companies was an insurance against AAP loss.
It is the corruption free politics that must give BJP and Congress and Akalis nightmares. And quite rightly so. Hey, Congress and BJP, it's fair dues.
1. http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results
2. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31433695
