Farmer's suicide: Arvind Kejriwal should apologise even for playing petty politics

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Friday apologised for continuing his speech even as a farmer named Gajendra Singh hanged himself from a nearby tree at the kisan rally in Jantar Mantar. [Farmer's family rejects Kejriwal's apology]

He said that he never had such experience in his life and he couldn't see the tragedy unfolding on a tree. He said he couldn't either announce what was happening on the tree fearing a stampede. [AAP violated laws and accusing cops now?]

Sorry, Mr CM, each action of yours over the episode of the death of Gajendra Singh has exposed you as a mediocre politician. The episode has proved that neither you are a popular activist or a Mahatma-in-the-making. You are just a petty politician who can do anything for his own interest. [Was Jantar Mantar chosen for its trees?]

AAP ignored the rules

First of all, Kejriwal and his party did not care for the police's warning against holding the rally in Jantar Mantar. It was always risky for managing 20,000 people in Jantar Mantar was difficult for the administration.

Then it started blaming the police

Secondly, Kejriwal and his party leaders started blaming the police after Singh died, accusing them of not attaching any seriousness to the issue. They said it was AAP's own supporters who went up to help the farmer.

And now an apology for not calling off the rally

And now, Kejriwal has decided to apologise over the incident, saying he shouldn't have continued with the speech. He has also appealed to stop the blame game that started among the political parties after Singh's death.

Kejriwal's apology is aimed at maintaining his own clear image

Kejriwal's petty politics

The Delhi chief minister has played a dirty public stunt through all these acts. His party had the initial aim of competing with the two big parties, the Congress and BJP, to show how sensitive it is also towards the farmers' plight. And to add more spice to its protest rally, it didn't stop people climbing the trees to protest against the establishment. The smaller venue was chosen perhaps to put the police under pressure in managing the crowd.

Even Kejriwal's apology looks to have a political intention

And now when the episode has taken the worst possible turn, the same chief minister who didn't care for others but his political ambition starts apologising. Is there an appeal to rely his 'good intention' in this apology?

Given Kejriwal's preference for politics of publicity, nothing is impossible.

Kejriwal has played too many tricks with common people's sentiments now

The AAP chief has played far too many tricks with common people's sentiments now. Because of his greed to grab more political space, Kejriwal's party didn't care about violating the rules and went ahead with a rally that claimed a human life. And he then shamelessly blamed the law-keepers with whom he has an old enmity.

But this strategy will boomerang, as it has with many other leaders

But Kejriwal is failing to realise that this tactic of using people's sentiments will prove to be a boomerang one day. The man and his party have been getting a lot of benefits of doubt from their supporters and continuing to live in public memory despite doing nothing so far.

The big talks of political experimentation have also received a serious jolt with the expulsion of people like Yogendra Yadav. Kejriwal is gradually turning out to be a megalomaniac who only excels in eliminating challenges within and protects his image in people's eyes as that of a leader who is not afraid of taking on the most powerful.

It will not be same for Kejriwal after Gajendra Singh's death

After Gajendra Singh's death, Kejriwal's journey will not be the same again. For now he is perceived to be an unscrupulous politicians who really doesn't care about his own supporters' well-being.

Just vote-shares won't make you a legend, Mr Kejriwal

Vote-shares in elections won't help his cause either for electoral performances don't automatically make India's political leaders great. We have leaders like Mamata Banerjee who continue to dominate elections in Bengal but is often ridiculed for a shabby performance as an administrator. Kejriwal is on the way to become another worthless politician of this country.

So before that tragedy happens, Mr Kejriwal, why don't you apologise for joining politics and pile on the garbage that others in the business have produced all the years.