New Delhi: After initially being in denial, Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday acknowledged that President Pranab Mukherjee's remarks that 'populist anarchy' cannot be a substitute for governance may be a reference to them, saying the party will carefully consider whatever he has said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made no direct comment on the President's speech but retweeted a post by noted filmmaker Shekhar Kapur.
"Dear Mr President. Activism and Anarchy are not the same. Anarchy was 1984 when mobs went on rampage killing Sikhs. Provoked by State n Police...," Kapur tweeted.
Shortly after the address, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav had said the President's speech was not about AAP.
"I have full belief that President must have greater things in his mind. When he talks about anarchy, he looks towards the nation. He must be thinking about what is happening in Gujarat, Punjab and the entire country," Yadav had said.
By the evening on Sunday, AAP took a different line.
"Whatever President said, we don't want to make comments in this regard as he is the first citizen of this country. If he has said something about us, we would carefully listen to him and consider it," Ashutosh, AAP leader and journalist-turned politician, told reporters here.
He also tweeted: "French Revolution was called anarchy ,,, so was Russian revolution ..JP was dubbed as anarchist !!! History is repeating itself !!!" (sic)
Mukherjee had on Saturday made a veiled attack on Kejriwal's street protest, saying the government is not 'charity shop' and 'populist anarchy' cannot be a substitute for governance.
Read here: President warns of anarchist, corrupt political outfits
"Government is not a charity shop. Populist anarchy cannot be a substitute for governance. False promises lead to disillusionment, which gives birth to rage, and that rage has one legitimate target: those in power," Mukherjee had said while addressing the nation on the eve of Republic Day.
Meanwhile, slamming Kejriwal for staging a two-day dharna outside Rail Bhavan defying prohibitory orders, BJP president Rajnath Singh said his party welcomed President's remark on AAP.
Next - Happy that debate has begun on CM staging a protest: Kejriwal
Happy that debate has begun on CM staging a protest: Kejriwal
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said Republic Day speech of President Pranab Mukherjee, who made a veiled attack on him for his two-day dharna, had generated a debate whether staging a protest by Chief Minister was constitutional or unconstitutional.
"I am happy that this is being debated now," said Kejriwal who was cornered by journalists and other invitees in Mughal Garden where he was attending his first 'At Home' function after taking over as the Chief Minister.
He was asked about his reaction on the President's Republic Day eve speech where he had made a veiled attack on Kejriwal's street protests, saying the government is not a 'charity shop' and 'populist anarchy' cannot be a substitute for governance.
Kejriwal said it was the President's or the Centre's point of view but "I am happy that at least a debate has kicked off on whether a dharna by Chief Minister leads to a constitutional crisis or not."
"Please look at the newspapers. Some are in favour and some are critical and a healthy debate is always very good in a democracy," Kejriwal said.
As Kejriwal was speaking, German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner walked upto him and said that their President Joachim Gauck was visiting India next month and their request for a meeting had been turned down by the Chief Minister's office.
"Mr Chief Minister, since both of you came into prominence after a civil rights movement, we wanted a meeting between you two. However, your office has turned down the request. So I was wondering if their could be any rethinking on this," the envoy told the Chief Minister.
Kejriwal replied that he would definitely reschedule some of his appointments and work out the possibility of calling on the visiting President.
