Islamabad is recoiling from the shock of the recent incidents of violence perpetrated by the supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Their march on the capital of Pakistan resulted in the loss of life—of security personnel as well as protestors. Peace seems to have been restored, but it is certain that tensions will remain high given the bitter political scenario in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s coalition government has its task cut out in terms of keeping a semblance of authority as well as credibility given the fractured electoral result, which gave PTI the largest number of seats.
On the eastern side of the Radcliffe Line is another bruised crusader against corruption, recently released from months in jail and silently licking his wounds. Arvind Kejriwal vowed to bring a new politics in India, ending the duopoly of the two major parties. With successive elections the Aam Aadmi Party wowed the voters in Delhi with cleverly calculated freebies and a populism that crossed class, caste and creed in the national capital. The formula seemed unbeatable, and reaching the stars seemed within grasp, with nationwide appeals. All that came to nought once the stink of the liquor policy became apparent.
Although coming from vastly different backgrounds, educational achievements, sporting capabilities, and simple physical appeal, there is much in common in the dramatic political rise, and subsequent, fall of Imran Khan and Arvind Kejriwal. The messiahs sent to cleanse the political system ended up incarcerated on account of corruption—and on no account can it be simply labelled as political vendetta.
The level and method of corruption differed only in terms of sophistication, an apt reflection of the intellectual acumen of the two crusaders. Imran Khan was long derided for his inadequate capacity for intelligent conversations.
In the era of political correctness this is as accurate an analysis as can be. And it is a far cry from a comment on the intellect and acumen of Arvind Kejriwal, not simply on account of him attending IIT and making a civil services career that would be the envy of most. His political shrewdness was on ample display when he systematically jettisoned his mentors and those who believed themselves to be the guides and gurus of a hapless civil servant out to cleanse the system. He, after all, was a product of the system and belonged to it.
Imran Khan, on the other hand, appeared as an outsider who sought to right the wrongs being perpetrated on the hapless people of Pakistan by political parties. Pakistan’s first cricket superstar, with looks to match, and a lifestyle of privilege, which provided all the perks that come with it—he seemed the perfect fit. Except that politics is a bruising sport where winning is all, and its takes all methods to win. He clearly lacked the wherewithal, intellectual et al, until he hitched his horses on to the military rails. The rest, as they say, is a fairytale.
Except that fairytales are fiction, sweetened by an imagination that seeks solace from the mundane and the grit of life. Well, the grit of political life got to Imran Khan fairly soon into his dream innings as Prime Minister. He believed his government had the mandate to govern Pakistan in its entirety, unmindful of the space and privileges that political parties had to share with the biggest player of all, the Pakistan Army.
Also read: Imran Khan wants to break Islamabad political deadlock with dead bodies
Marketed victimhood
Imran Khan actually believed he had outgrown his mentors, the military establishment, and began to unfurl his wings and relish the sunlight of fame and fortune. Except that fortunes in South Asia are hard to come by, legitimately, and in an elected five year term. Imran Khan, however, tried it and came a cropper. Arvind Kejriwal, the far more clever and intelligent crusader against corruption, tried it, and almost scored it. But the complacent corruption of the UPA II era had made the Indian bureaucracy into supporters of Kejriwal and his campaign to rid the country of dishonest politicians. They turned on him once he dipped his fingers.
Even as the systems that created them turned against both, these born again messiahs suddenly espoused pop religion and victimhood conspiracies. While it was Sufi-istic jargon for Imran Khan, it was schoolboy Hanuman Chalisa for Arvind Kejriwal. All of this faith pushed with adequately marketed victimhood conspiracies. None of it of course scores in terms of the courts, but then there are enough of the gullible who can take to the streets for the sake of the messiah. Imran Khan’s supporters have proven that twice now, hopefully the same doesn’t happen in Delhi when the chickens come home to roost.
Manvendra Singh is a BJP leader, Editor-in-Chief of Defence & Security Alert and Chairman, Soldier Welfare Advisory Committee, Rajasthan. He tweets @ManvendraJasol. Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Wow! It seems all (or most of them) the opinions are written by BJP people. in the Comparing Imran Khan with Kejriwal ! BJP always dividing people by playing with caste, religion, Pakistan, and Muslim! I cannot expect much from them for ruling India for more 10 years. They will do whatever possible to stay in power like how Modi made hate speeches during 2024 election campaign! It is a shame that Print constantly publishes this kind of articles!