At a time when several people in the country are looking towards the Aam Aadmi Party with hope, especially after its spectacular win in Punjab, making it the first and only regional party in India to have two state governments — on a par with the Indian National Congress — with reports about its showcasing great traction with the electorate in Gujarat and Himachal, the statement of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, while reacting to the serious issue of the economy, demanding publishing of the next set of currency notes with pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses on them, is seriously wanting.
It could have, at best, been a funny quip, a retort at the end of a more serious text of an economical critique of the policies of the Central government, and linked to the difficulties faced by people, ranging from rising prices to unemployment.
Instead, by reducing the platform to the sole purpose of creating a social media “viral clip”, as an end in itself, the supreme leader of AAP has slighted the hope vested in him with a mere triviality, a frivolous interpretation of his political and moral responsibility.
A lot happens on television and social media, such too-clever-by-half stuff is best left to the leaders at a rung lot lower, and the AAP should only study the range of statements made by the BJP and match the significance, tone and tenor of such things as commensurate with the stature of the leaders from whom these emanate.
By itself, an Opposition party is totally entitled to criticising the economic state of the nation and saying that the currency is in such a free fall that only divine intervention would help. But Mr Kejriwal’s self-amused reflection is neither a telling statement, nor a sensible response to the BJP’s Hindutva. He scored a goal, but it was only a self-goal.
