I got a serious bad taste when I read "An Apology of a Party: AAP, which set out to save India, is struggling to save itself now" and it is not because I sympathise with AAP, but because it is a write up with a sense of vendetta without real analysis by the editor, who is none other than the omni present old wisdom, Mr. Shekhar Gupta.
This is what I wrote in the comments section. I am not sure if they will publish the same. So I am sharing it on my platform.
This article disappointed me. Coming from the editor and he being Shekhar Gupta disappointed me further. First is the use of the feature image. It is typical to the core of shamelessness to bask in the fame of sensationalism. Why should an upright journalist use an abused photographic identity to uphold a manufactured perception of a Chief Minister? A positive or a neutral feature image was expected out of Shekhar Gupta.
Secondly, the editor knows, and the sentiment is echoed by the Wire team as well, that Indian judicial system is a big deterrent for honest men willing to target big powers. The big powers use the judiciary to scare the activists and the supposed trouble makers. So he could have, in his analysis, mentioned about that aspect. That this could probably free Arvind Kejriwal to concentrate on AAP.
Thirdly, the editor has dismissed all the positive achievements of AAP in Delhi specially its focus on education and health. In his dismissal of the party, he could have spared a line about their achievements. It seemed to me that the editor is on his ego trip over some squabbles he may have had with Arvind Kejriwal and now he is taking a personal revenge for a good night sleep.
Fourthly, Shekhar Gupta with his experiences in the corridors of power and politics would know that India has dynastic politics and Godman politics. He knew Jayalalitha, MGR, Mamta Banerjee etc to name a few, and it is mostly about one leader or one family that carries any party. It was Prafulla Mahanta for AGP in 1985, and he too had a fair share of allegation of autocratic behaviour. So pinpointing Arvind Kejriwal and comparing him to Modi is an injustice to both Kejriwal and Modi. An autocrat in a party is not necessarily bad for the nation or the state.
Also, the current politics in India is between BJP and the Others. The Others as we speak is getting formed. Parties like AAP or AGP will lose significance temporarily in that power tussle. Today, India is practically bipolar and even a diehard AGP or an AAPtard will vote for Congress or the ante-BJP party in his or her constituency.
Fifthly, any political party with whatever ideology is formed by the society. If the society has 50% dishonest citizens, then any party formed in that society will have a percentage of dishonest citizens. For an anti-corruption party like AAP, the percentage will be lesser, say, 30% dishonest citizens. That is reality and it somehow misses the intellectual faculty of Mr. Shekhar Gupta when he blames a whole anti corruption movement by the youth of the country of utter failure.
Like a clever politician himself (read editor), he writes in his penultimate line, "You can never say never in politics. We may still see the return of AAP.." That is so childish after crafting a sub headline that goes "The foundation on which AAP was built has all but crumbled. And its promise of changing the system and saving India is now a fading memory"
Sad.
This is what I wrote in the comments section. I am not sure if they will publish the same. So I am sharing it on my platform.
This article disappointed me. Coming from the editor and he being Shekhar Gupta disappointed me further. First is the use of the feature image. It is typical to the core of shamelessness to bask in the fame of sensationalism. Why should an upright journalist use an abused photographic identity to uphold a manufactured perception of a Chief Minister? A positive or a neutral feature image was expected out of Shekhar Gupta.
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| A good wise Shekhar Gupta would have used this kind of imagery. |
Secondly, the editor knows, and the sentiment is echoed by the Wire team as well, that Indian judicial system is a big deterrent for honest men willing to target big powers. The big powers use the judiciary to scare the activists and the supposed trouble makers. So he could have, in his analysis, mentioned about that aspect. That this could probably free Arvind Kejriwal to concentrate on AAP.
Thirdly, the editor has dismissed all the positive achievements of AAP in Delhi specially its focus on education and health. In his dismissal of the party, he could have spared a line about their achievements. It seemed to me that the editor is on his ego trip over some squabbles he may have had with Arvind Kejriwal and now he is taking a personal revenge for a good night sleep.
Fourthly, Shekhar Gupta with his experiences in the corridors of power and politics would know that India has dynastic politics and Godman politics. He knew Jayalalitha, MGR, Mamta Banerjee etc to name a few, and it is mostly about one leader or one family that carries any party. It was Prafulla Mahanta for AGP in 1985, and he too had a fair share of allegation of autocratic behaviour. So pinpointing Arvind Kejriwal and comparing him to Modi is an injustice to both Kejriwal and Modi. An autocrat in a party is not necessarily bad for the nation or the state.
Also, the current politics in India is between BJP and the Others. The Others as we speak is getting formed. Parties like AAP or AGP will lose significance temporarily in that power tussle. Today, India is practically bipolar and even a diehard AGP or an AAPtard will vote for Congress or the ante-BJP party in his or her constituency.
Fifthly, any political party with whatever ideology is formed by the society. If the society has 50% dishonest citizens, then any party formed in that society will have a percentage of dishonest citizens. For an anti-corruption party like AAP, the percentage will be lesser, say, 30% dishonest citizens. That is reality and it somehow misses the intellectual faculty of Mr. Shekhar Gupta when he blames a whole anti corruption movement by the youth of the country of utter failure.
Like a clever politician himself (read editor), he writes in his penultimate line, "You can never say never in politics. We may still see the return of AAP.." That is so childish after crafting a sub headline that goes "The foundation on which AAP was built has all but crumbled. And its promise of changing the system and saving India is now a fading memory"
Sad.
