Sir — The actions of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal over the past few days in Gujarat and of his supporters in Delhi echo what President Pranab Mukherjee in his Republic Day eve address referred to as “populist anarchy” being followed in the country. The reference was no doubt to the AAP and Mr Kejriwal.
It is true that Mr Kejriwal has cast himself as a self-appointed messiah of society, while the fact is that he is the latest icon of anarchy in India. This should not be a matter of doubt. He, as an individual, has every right to protest. However, as a former Chief Minister, he needs to uphold the dignity and propriety of the constitutional position he held and place restrictions on his behaviour.
Mr Kejriwal had in the recent past practised the politics of agitation and civil disobedience, which is not acceptable in governance; he continues to do so even today. Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee had learnt lessons along the way, and Mr Kejriwal needs to take a cue.
The victory of the AAP in Delhi had turned the current political discourse of secularism versus communalism into one of basic issues that affect the lives of ordinary citizens. He had deliverables on hand for the people of Delhi. But his Janata Durbar turned chaotic, his demand to suspend Delhi police personnel turned anarchic and ugly, his volunteers besieged the roads, and Mr Kejriwal as Chief Minister protested on the streets. Such political wisdom, if one may call it wisdom at all, is dangerous for the country.