This refers to the story on Arvind Kejriwal’s victory On The Right To The Centre, AK Goes 2.0 (February 24). Kejriwal managed to beat anti-incumbency with an intelligent campaign and media plan, which was complemented by the bouquet of freebies he offered. Realising that they had little to offer as counter on this count, the BJP went berserk with its aggressive Hindutva campaign, which at times included brutalising the youth and student community. After the humiliating defeat, Amit Shah has admitted that hate speeches by the party’s campaign leaders were responsible. But Shah can’t absolve himself by putting the blame on others. Why did he not dissuade them when they were making such speeches? The tone and tenor of all their leaders were vitriolic. If the BJP is genuinely remorseful, it should desist from making such speeches during the forthcoming elections in Bihar and West Bengal.
J. Akshobhya, Mysore
Whenever the media questions Kejriwal about freebies, he proudly answers that Delhi is a revenue surplus state. However, he conveniently skips the fact that Delhi was a revenue surplus state even earlier. In fact, the surplus has come down from Rs 10,642 crore at its peak in 2010-11 to Rs 4,465 crore in 2018-19. Governments incur capital expenditure to create productive assets, which sustain growth. The AAP government has failed miserably on this count. The capital expenditure of the Delhi government has decreased from Rs 11,685 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 7,173 crore in 2017-18, and improved marginally in 2018-19 to Rs 9,908 crore. CAG also highlighted in its report that the share of capital expenditure has been reduced from 14.39 per cent in 2013-14 to 8.26 per cent in 2017-18. An increase in overall expenditure and decrease in capital expenditure clearly indicates that infrastructure development has come to a halt and money is being used to distribute freebies.
Shashank Saurav, On E-Mail
AAP repeated its 2015 feat of diminishing its rival, BJP, to single digit yet again. The people of Delhi have proved that Kejriwal is not a terrorist, but a patriot. Twice in successive Lok Sabha and assembly elections, Delhi has voted differently, endorsing Modi unreservedly at the Centre and effusively rejecting him in favour of Kejriwal in the state. The numbers of those who change their vote with every election must be quite high. BJP’s campaign had plenty of slander against opponents, unembarrassed attempts to communalise the polity and bellicose intimidation of minorities who were, through the canvassing, also the lead act of the anti-CAA protests in various parts of Delhi. It is clear that when it comes to state issues, the public takes a very careful decision before choosing the government.
Padmini Raghavendra, Secunderabad
The stupendous victory of Kejriwal in the assembly polls was not entirely unexpected. What did, however, come as a surprise was the tally of AAP. But then, Kejriwal believes that voters have a transactional relationship with politicians and distributing freebies is a way to retain their support. So, subsidised electricity and water, free rides for women in DTC buses and all-paid visits for senior citizens on pilgrimages helped him retain power. It was also clever of him to join issue with the BJP on Shaheen Bagh. The Kejriwal victory can have a most deleterious impact on the economy if other states follow his lead in giving freebies. If state governments provide free electricity to the poor, it will worsen the financial position of state electricity boards, many of which are already in deep financial distress.
J.S. Acharya, Chennai
Hate politics, rabid rhetoric and personal attacks on Kejriwal, while taking for granted issues concerning the common man, has cost BJP dearly in Delhi again. As the results are a clear revelation that merely relying on Hindutva catchphrases and hate politics cannot win elections, BJP leaders must also address problems faced by the ‘aam aadmi,’ while highlighting nationalist and security concerns.
Srinivasan Ramaswamy, Secunderabad
I foresee a surge in parties similar to AAP in India. Delhi was under the Congress for three consecutive terms, so the people of the state lost their patience and chose AAP. Kejriwal’s biggest challenge now is to keep his promises to the people of Delhi. The victory of AAP sends a strong message to smaller parties. It will help them formulate a strategy to overcome the supremacy of national parties. I hope Kejriwal will live up to our constitutional ideal of secularism and continue working to develop Delhi.
Ramachandran Nair, Muscat, Oman
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth might start a political party after all (CAA-pow Is The Rajini Punch, February 24). He kept a studied silence for three years and is suddenly airing views on controversial issues like CAA and Periyar’s 1971 superstition-eradication conference. When some fringe outfits demanded an apology for his anti-Periyar remark, Rajini refused to back down. As the DMK did exceedingly well in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and outdid the AIADMK in the local body elections, the BJP is mulling a coalition with Rajini, PMK, TMC and the AMMK to take on the DMK in the 2021 assembly polls. Even Kamal Haasan may join the Rajini bandwagon to keep out Dravidian parties that have the taint of corruption. And Stalin’s anti-Hindu rants have not gone down well in Tamil Nadu. With the anti-BJP wave engulfing the state, it is doubtful if Rajini will openly align with the saffron party. While the star has no alternative model of governance, his detractors are using the recent IT case as a stick to beat him with.
Kangayam R. Narasimhan, Chennai
After reaching the zenith in tinsel town, Rajinikanth had for long harboured political aspirations. People say he was earlier contemplating joining Congress or one of the Dravidian parties, and now wants to start his own political party. These days, it has become a norm in Tamil Nadu to found a political party to protect one’s wealth and lean towards the ruling party at the Centre to avoid income tax raids. Rajini’s statement that CAA will not affect Indian Muslims suggests he is toeing the BJP line and speaking its language. If he ever launches a party, it might emerge as the B-team of BJP or might coalesce with AIADMK, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, which is already aligned with BJP. He might also emerge as the next chief minister of Tamil Nadu. There are some people who refuse to retire. After succeeding in one area, they enter another field to try their luck.
M.Y. Shariff, Chennai
This refers to the cover story The Muslims (February 17). Your editorial is one of the boldest and your magazine, timely. I usually take an auto, whose minimum fare is Rs 25. If you give Muslim auto drivers Rs 30, they return Rs 5, while others pocket the change. Even when I insist they keep the change, they say they don’t want money that’s not theirs. Whatever profession they are in, Muslims are sincere and god-fearing. What is perturbing is their reluctance to enter the mainstream and their silence on atrocities against Kashmiri Pandits. We, the majority, should reach out to them. Importantly, we should clarify that the NPR exercise will not target Muslims.
T.S. Rangarajan, Bangalore
Apropos No One Killed 426 People In Anti-Sikh Riots (February 10), it is surprising that after so much time, the prospect of justice remains bleak. Similarly, nothing happened to those responsible for the Bhopal gas leak in 1984. Justice seems to have become a hollow expression and human values have disappeared. This is not the India our freedom fighters battled and sacrificed for.
Ranjit Sinha, Hadapsar
