The advent of “Item” (read rogue) elements in the oligarchic Indian polity is a refreshing phenomenon because it always keeps status quo loving establishment on its toes. The unique trend is slowly replacing rumour mongering through reliable cadres with sensationalism via camera. The fact finding tour to Gujrat by Kejriwal & company may repeal the shell of self-replicating lies woven through years of incremental image branding expeditions; layer by layer. Arvind Kejriwal is trying hard to counter the saffron propaganda in media space by answering saffronites in their own style and fashion through seemingly provocative actions followed by flaunting the facade of remorse and anguish. The script conceived by “neo-honest” community of AAP for next Lok Sabha polls is a departure from traditional vote gathering techniques because it seeks to unravel the corporate maze behind electoral funding. Nevertheless, induction of mascots with perennially unstable political loyalities by AAP in Himachal negates the very ethos for which it claims to struggle day in and day out. Besides, the increasing tendency of AAP to stuff its party machine with photogenic journalistic faces automatically robs it off the pluralistic representative character. The shrillness of anti-corruption diatribe is actually deviating the focus away from systemic change. Ambani-Addani centric metaphor for crony capitalism is reminiscent of Tata-Birla hate campaign which had been unsuccessfully practised by Indian communists in sixties and seventies. Corporate manipulation of natural resources in India can only be tamed by a consensus across entire political paradigm rather than by a single electoral organ. Meanwhile, the political lion unleashed by Anna Hazare has turned into a “vote-eater” beast after silently cannibalising its own mentor. Therefore, Kejriwal is inherently destined to attract the ire of entrenched political interests who never wanted to broaden the electoral cartel of India but may acquiesce into his machinations in prospective compulsion. For a moment it bodes well for the stale cocktail of Congress-BJP type politics because it will act as circuit breaker for these parties along with the fresh air of course correction which may pierce the thick membrane of elitist interests controlling these outfits at present. The only positive tangible result can be the enforced reform of political culture in short span as evidenced by voluntary prohibition of read beacons by a clutch of states including Himachal on poll eve.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 06:51:32 +0000