What is opportunism? The Wikipedia definition is “the conscious policy and practice of taking advantage of circumstances – with little regard for principles, or with what the consequences are for others. Opportunist actions are expedient actions guided primarily by self-interested motives.”
Lets rewind back to 2010 : A nation in chaos. The UPA govt has been in power for a considerable amount of time and whatever minuscule good it had done for the country was overshadowed or marred by 2G, CWG, Adarsh to just name a few scams. Corruption by Congress was what majority of the people were speaking about, whether it was on blogs or in cafes.
In comes some familiar names against anti corruption; Anna Hazare teamed up along with a well known Kiran Bedi and a not-so-popular Arvind Kejriwal forming a group called “India against Corruption” or IAC. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Their campaign/dharna to activate a ‘Lokpal’, which was supposed to be a miracle cure to end corruption, gained momentum and all over India it was ‘Anna fever’ all over India, who was even being compared to Mahatma Gandhi. Some called him deserving enough to be the next Prime Minister!
The Congress govt took cognizance of the movement gaining strength and a panel of their ministers were sent to negotiate with Anna Hazare. Facebook and Twitter were abuzz with how this miracle Lokpal had cleaned out corruption in Singapore etc. Many of these supporters never really understood what Anna had in mind or what his bill actually meant simply because they were angry with Congress, and IAC had picked up a right topic adhering to the public mood.
Arundhati Roy came out in the open stating the Bill was draconian and it lacked sense. Arundhati Roy and her opinion was dismissed thanks to her own views in the past and her leftist leanings. Time passed by, the media lost interest and the hitherto unknown member of IAC, Arvind Kejriwal declared he would be contesting elections and cleaning the system from the ‘inside’ as that the only option left. He gave long talks about how his members would work on half salary, decline usual privileges and so on.
His declarations were met with mixed response. While some hailed it, many saw through this trick, and the cynical ones sighed. When some smarter ones dug through, the truth was slowly unearthed about who Arvind Kejriwal was, who his core members consisted of, the extent to which activists go, their funding, their shady activities and their anti-development agenda in general.
The menace caused by activists and their NGOs via anarchy were unknown to many. The damage these NGOs and activists can inflict thanks to vested interests was not obvious to many who just go by their noble and catchy slogans. The party was formed. The IAC movement, Lokpal draft and Anna Hazare was soon forgotten.
Anna threatened with fast unto death and relented later giving some weak reasons which was met with ridicule and more skepticism. As of 2016, the Twitterati – and almost every AAP supporter – simply mocks his statements or actions in sharp contrast to the praise and honor that he received when he started the movement.
AAP – the party that was born out of a strong movement to combat corruption – is a monument of mockery today. Its own members face charges of corruption. Arvind Kejriwal, who was projected as a ray of hope is today reduced to tweeting about Narendra Modi day and night and getting mocked. His promises about working for half salary and denying privileges stand exposed. Forgotten are his responsibilities about fighting against corruption and jailing the corrupt. He stands exposed today as an opportunist who will go to any lengths to fulfill his lust for power.
Cut to 2016:
The NDA govt had promised to implement OROP (One Rank One Pension) to all soldiers, which had been in the works for a while. When the announcement to implement OROP was made, AAP smelt blood and started the usual practice of opposing it under the garb of protecting veterans. Their official website claimed the Modi Govt had cheated Ex-servicemen and urged the veterans to strike and create ruckus. While the truth was – millions benefited greatly from OROP, and some veterans have requested unreasonable demands likes ones listed below:
While the usual Congress’ opinion and their reservations were of no relevance considering they did nothing while they were in power, the AAP friendly media was quick to pounce and highlight AAP’s theatrics and their new found love for veterans.
Prominently displayed in the forefront of the agitations was one Retd Maj Gen Satbir Singh. For over 100 days the war veteran Major Gen Satbir Singh had been heading the protest at Jantar Mantar. The media and AAP were eager to cover his meetings.
Today a image of an article stating Maj Gen Satbir Singh will be contesting the elections has been doing the rounds. So whatever happened to his ‘justice for veterans’?
It will be interesting to see with whom Maj Gen Satbir Singh will forming an alliance, the last line suggests it could be Aam Aadmi Party, or even Congress! This is what AAP was supporting while opposing OROP?
Now time will tell us which new party will be hurled at the public led by someone who has kept his own political ambition in the forefront and ignored veterans under the name of ‘justice for veterans’.
It seems that the politics of opportunism as practiced and perfected by Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party is now being repeated by others. Perhaps this was the ‘new politics’ Kejriwal and AAP had promised?
