OPINION

It’s said that five years is a longtime in politics. For journalist-turned-politicians Ashutosh and Ashish khetan, the past five years have been roller-coaster ride. They joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) at the height of the ‘India Against Corruption’ Movement. They made their decision to quit the party public a day after its leadership has gone to the court to gag the media from reporting about they have been chargesheeted in the case of alleged assault on Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash.

In his post on the micro-blogging site Tweeter on the morning of the 72nd Independence Day, Ashutosh wrote, “Every journey has an end. My association with AAP which was beautiful/revolutionary has also an end. I have resigned from the PARTY/requested PAC to accept the same. It is purely from a very very personal reason. Thanks to party/all of them who supported me Throughout. Thanks.”

Atalji’s demise is referred to by many as end of an era. I, however, consider it as a continuation of the era of which he was one who laid the foundation.

The political and ideological journey

His political journey shaped his ideology. His convictions were shaped by his deep commitment to the nation from the student days association with the Quit India Movement to his joining the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and then being associated with Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee as one of the founders of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. During his early days in the Jan Sangh, he was associated with the ‘Kashmir Satyagraha’ which wanted to lift several restrictions on Indian citizens in relation to the State.

Democracy In times of turbulence and disruption, a nation is blessed to have a leader who rises to become its moral compass and guiding spirit, providing vision, cohesion and direction to his people. And, in such a moment at the turn of the century, India found one in Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was gifted in spirit, heart, and mind. For those of us who knew him, he was, first, the rarest of human beings, who touched and inspired everyone he met. He was compassionate to the core, generous in spirit, warm beyond measure, and kind to a fault.

He was deeply respectful of others and gifted with a rare sense of humour that he often turned upon himself. Orator without parallel, he could switch from disarming humour to a lofty vision with ease, with a rare ability to connect with people naturally, to stir them to self-belief and to a higher cause. Sharply perceptive, he could summarise the most complex issues and discussions in a single sentence or question.Born into a family of modest means and high ideals, he hailed from a small town in Madhya Pradesh.

Democracy is seen as the best of all systems of government. It is a system that enables people to realize their best potentials and aspirations as well. It promotes equity, equality, justice and freedom, the most cherished values of a civilized society. It is a system that aims at ensuring fraternity, brotherhood and commonality of concerns for a responsive and responsible governance and government based on debates, dialogues, discussions and critiques relating to the governmental decisions and policies and their operations. To serve these critical democratic goals, an architecture determined constitutionally is put in place.

Besides the Legislature, Executive and independent Judiciary, political parties, free press and a civil society are the other vanguards of the societal interests. But what if the constitutional mechanisms and political processes are sought to be maneuvered as tools of selfish political ends especially by the practitioners of the political system that is democracy?

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has advised Prime Minister NarendraModi to accept Pakistan’s Prime Minister-elect Imran Khan’s offer of friendship and add a positive dimension to tense relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Mehbooba feels that a better relationship with Pakistan means the ending of bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir. Cricketer-turned politician Khan, in his first public address after leading his party to victory in the general elections, had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes including the ‘core issue’ of Kashmir through talks. Khan, whose party emerged as the single largest party in the National Assembly elections, has also asserted that the blame game between the two neighbours should stop.