As was expected after he jumped into the political arena, Arvind Kejriwal has become the new untouchable. His résumé sounded attractive, in fact cool, as an RTI activist, only to become a hot potato in his present avatar as a politician, notwithstanding the Gandhi cap made popular during the Anna Hazare movement, which, too, was cool and chic.

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The latest hands-off Kejriwal shrug came from Tata Social Welfare Trust (TSWT) and NR Narayana Murthy, founder of IT giant Infosys. On Tuesday, November 6, both denied giving any money to the anti-corruption activist-turned-politician for his political activities. There’s an emphasis on the word political activities, for neither denied giving him funds per se. Though that was in Kejriwal’s earlier avatar as RTI activist.

In a statement, Murthy said Kejriwal had approached him in 2008 seeking funds to institute awards to recognise the efforts of officials, NGO and public in the field of RTI.

"I sent Rs 25 lakh for 2008 and 2009 and Rs 37 lakh for 2010 and Rs 25 lakh for 2011," he said. The statement said additional funds of Rs 12 lakh were required in 2010 to give away extra awards to honour families of RTI activists who killed, and in way of travel costs of awardees.

But the flow stopped this year, after Kejriwal threw all caution, and Hazare’s supplication, suggestion and warning (in that order) to the wind and announced the launch of a political party.

"When Kejriwal approached me in September 2012 asking for financial assistance, I declined. Hence I have not financially supported Kejriwal's political activities," Murthy said in the statement.

TWST also said it "agreed to release Rs 25 lakh per year from 2009, for a period of 5 years, to help the foundation institute the (National RTI) awards". The Tata trust said Murthy had brought it on board to assist Kejriwal in raise awareness about RTI.

The TWST statement said it released Rs 25 lakh each to Kejriwal’s foundation in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

So what went awry between last year, when Kejriwal was no less belligerent about corruption in politics, and this autumn, when he heeded to the taunts and barbs of politicians and stopped being a ‘fence-sitter’ to actually enter the fray and carry on the fight?

His CV changed, of course. He was no more just a do-gooder, though everyone and her neighbour’s granny know these days that some activists are no less corrupt, and no more putting on the Gandhi cap with ‘Main bhi Anna’ writ large in black. He was now a full-scale neta, ostensibly sporting the Gandhi cap because Indians want their netas to sport that.

But, Mr Narayana Murthy and the sirs and madams of TWST, has he stopped fighting against corruption? Has Kejriwal turned his back to RTI, which presumably prompted you to release so many lakhs for four years? Has he stopped “raising awareness” about RTI now that he is no more just a social activist but is a politician? Unlikely, right? For more people are hearing and reading about RTI these days than they perhaps did in all those months of pre-Hazare, Hazre and post-Hazare days. Ain’t that so?

So what’s the problem?

The problem lies not with politics or politicians but the way both are perceived by the people. We don’t hold politicians with disdain; we hold them with discomfiture, not knowing how to react. The problem is Indians want to live with their eyes closed, their thoughts tucked away safely in the lockers and vaults of Independence era. The problem is politics is not looked at as a profession, which it obviously is in most mature democracies, but as some idealistic pursuit, a la the Mahatma, where one is forever expected to mouth holy mumbo-jumbo.

And the problem is, all these problems would remain the same — problematic — unless the public perception of politics and politician changes from a general do-gooder to a professional good doer.