Amid a large gathering of supporters and a band singing “Desh ka neta kaisa ho, aam aadmi jaisa ho,” the Indian political spectrum got another political party, as Arvind Kejriwal and his team formally launched their Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) at Jantar Mantar here on November 26.
After months of deliberations, it looked like the ‘aam aadmi’ finally found his voice, as was visible from the level of enthusiasm among nearly 5,000 to 6,000 men and women who poured in throughout the winter afternoon. The party’s name was formally announced by social activist and party member Manish Sisodia, with activist-turned-politician Kejriwal named its national convenor.
“This is our party,” Sisodia said to huge applause and cheers as he formally announced the party’s name, following it up with naming of 23 executive committee members, including the likes of Gopal Rai, Prashant Bhushan, Sanjay Singh and Sisodia — all central figures in the anti-graft movement led initially by Anna Hazare and later Kejriwal.
Pankaj Gupta will be the new party’s national secretary and Krishna Kanth its national treasurer.
Kejriwal had announced the party’s name on Saturday, and the event at Jantar Mantar marked the formal, political battle against corruption in India. The date could not have been more apt, Nov 26 being the day the Indian Constitution was formally adopted. And Kejriwal made the right ‘political’ moves, visiting Rajghat and Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial before arriving at the venue.
With the Indian tricolour waving high, and ‘Main aam aadmi hoon, mujhe chahiye swaraj (I am a common man, I want swaraj)’ caps on each head at the historic Jantar Mantar, enthusiasm and adrenaline were not in short supply.
With the party consciously doing its bit to show that they were truly representing the aam aadmi, a good share of common citizens found space to address the audience from the AAP stage. Be it problems in the agricultural sector, or the problem of employability in the electricity board, the problems were being put forward to the crowds through common people affected by the government and its policies. “I will spread awareness through my rickshaw as long as corruption ends,” said Vijay Baba, an elderly rickshaw puller. Similar was the passion from young farmer Manveer Singh when he raised the slogan, “Now it will be our law, the law of farmers, and the law of the common man.”
Indians from across the country pledged their support to the party; party members announced the continuous flow of messages they received throughout the event where people promised their homes and office spaces for party work. A blanket circulated in the crowd also gathered much cooperation in the form of donations from the people.
Former NSG commando Surender Singh, who addressed a press conference with Kejriwal last week, was also present to once again remind the masses about the plight of the NSG commandos who fought against terrorists in the 26/11 attack in Mumbai. “We hope the government at least rewards the commandos who have still not been rewarded on this 26th January,” Kejriwal said on the fourth anniversary of Mumbai attacks. He invited Admiral L Ramdas (Retd) to honour Surender.
“The very fact that someone has taken the initiative of challenging the longstanding issue of corruption in the government is a step forward,” said Nalini Singh, an advocate who was part of the crowd at Jantar Mantar. “It could be any party, not just the Aam Aadmi Party. But let the common man stand up,” she added.
With the official website of the party saying, ‘The time for peaceful fasts and protests is gone. This is the time for action,’ there is much expectation from this new political party. But can it meet the expectations of thousands of citizens? The game has only just begun, as has the wait.
