History, they say, always repeats itself. What, therefore,
is now happening in AAP is something that the past has repeatedly witnessed.
Two instances that make this entire episode a real time déjà vu are given
below-
Indian National
Congress- Mid 1960s
Following Lal Bahadur Shastri's untimely death, Indira
Gandhi was hoisted as the next Prime Minister by the Congress Old Guard. She
seemed pliable and party seniors felt that they could manoeuvre her to get
things done. Little did they know, that the woman, who Lohia famously described
as "Gungi Gudiya" had ideas
of her own. Following poor performance in 1967 general elections, Indira
decided to steer leftwards. She ran into resistance from the Old guard. After
repeatedly clashing with the Old guard, she was finally expelled from the party
for violating party discipline. Unnerved, Indira broke off from the party and
formed a party of her own. The Congress(R), as it was called, joined forces
with the left and retained power in Delhi. The Old guard, who had made Indira
the Prime Minister, were consigned to the dustbin of history.
Arvind Kejriwal was never the ideologue of AAP. That
position was held by Yogendra Yadav and the Bhushans. It was they who
strategized and put forth political theories that made AAP Delhi’s darling.
Arvind Kejriwal became the symbol of AAP, given his passionate speeches, his
willingness to fight the Goliath and his earthy demeanour. Sadly, the
ideologues refused to give up their idealism for political practicalities.
These ideals came in the way of Kejriwal, who in an almost Indira-esque way has
chosen to humiliate and discard his former colleagues, while he at all times
remains above the mudslinging and name calling. Who will remember Yogendra
Yadav and the Bhushans, once they are out of AAP?
Soviet Union -1920s
& 30s
Lenin's death was followed by an internal power tussle in
which Stalin emerged victorious. Stalin, ever the politician was sick of the
ideals of Old Bolsheviks who had won the civil war. He trained his guns at Trotsky,
once Lenin's closest confidante, labelled him anti-Soviet and had him banished.
Soon, he set his eyes on eliminating other Old Bolsheviks who did not agree
with his policies, Zinoviev, Kamenev, Bukharin etc.. Ideology was sacrificed at
the altars of demagogy and political realities. In a matter of years, Stalin
emerged as the supreme leader. The others were reduced to singing odes in his
glory.
Shazia Ilmi, Captain Gopinath, Anjali Damania and now
probably Yogendra Yadav and the Bhushans are the Old Bolsheviks of AAP. They helped create the party. They infused
it with ideology. They created masses of volunteers who selflessly campaigned
for the party. But the “Old Bolsheviks”
fell out of favour of the man who they had created. Arvind Kejriwal turned out
to be their Frankenstein's monster. With his active connivance, they were
pushed outside as Kejriwal strengthened his grip on the party. Ideology fell
victim to personal ambitions and political exigencies.
Kejriwal, in all likelihood is AAP’s Robespierre. Robespierre,
played a key role during the French Revolution but then turned against those
who had led the revolution along with him. Bloodletting followed and the
revolution was disgraced. AAP is following the same path. The leadership has
been discredited, hallowed ideals have been hollowed and witch hunt has begun.
