From “I am Anna” to “I am Arvind”, the irony was not lost on those who have seen the dramatic transition from what was once a “people’s movement” to a “political” one.
Rain-soaked Arvind Kejriwal, ignoring Kiran Bedi’s advice, ushed in what he called a “political revolution” here Sunday. Ms Bedi, who wanted to target the UPA, not the BJP, stayed away from Sunday’s protest, and also warned that the “Kejriwal-led India Against Corruption cannot become the alternative to the existing political system overnight”.
Braving teargas, water cannons and even lathicharge by the police, Team Arvind’s show of strength to protest “corruption in allocation of coal blocks” came a month after it announced it will start a political party, expected to be unveiled October 30. While Ms Bedi and former Karnataka lokayukta Santosh Hegde are distancing themselves, others like Prashant Bhushan and Manish Sisodia appear to be backing Mr Kejriwal.
Unlike the sober Anna Hazare, Mr Kejriwal showed the group’s militant face, suddenly appearing at Race Course Road even though the plan was to meet at Jantar Mantar. IAC activists later managed to get Mr Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia, who were detained, freed from Mandir Marg police station after strong protests. They stopped the police taking them to Bawana on Delhi’s outskirts. In the evening, Mr Kejriwal called off the protest, claiming their goals were achieved.