YPOST

Is AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) Really An Eye-Opener!!!!??

Democracy is going through a difficult time. Even in established democracies, flaws in the system have become worryingly visible and disillusion with politics is rife. Yet just a few years ago democracy looked as though it would dominate the world.

The entire nation is agitated about corruption and government inaction on several critical issues. The common man is resigned to the situation as something too large to be handled, but the price rise and high cost of living were major burdens.

This is when an ordinary middle-class man emerged as the face of the anti-corruption movement, fighting for the common man’s cause: Arvind Kejriwal, an IITian. Some members of the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement decided to peel away, form a group and change from being a forum of social activism into a political party. Naming itself Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), it contested the New Delhi  legislative elections in 2013 and emerged as a political force, going on to form a government with outside support this January. The AAP has changed the traditional face of Indian elections, with the fervour of anti-corruption touching a chord among the great Indian middle class.   

When founder of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Delhi, heading a minority government, a surge of excitement shot through the country since a new chapter had begun in Indian politics and governance. The fledgling party came second in the December 2013 elections, winning 28 of the 70 seats.

The AAP (meaning Party of the Common Man) is a phenomenon for several reasons. It was started by a first-time politician and is not the offshoot of an age-old party.

The AAP’s major premise is that the promise of equality and justice that is enshrined in our Constitution has not been upheld by successive governments. The common man, who was enslaved by an oppressive foreign power, remains enslaved by the political elite. Drawing on the Gandhian concept of swaraj, the AAP promises that the government will be directly accountable to its people. It will hold public meetings, as a way of getting to know people’s grievances. In short it will be a government for the people and not a government for the government.

The AAP touched a chord in every individual who was angry with the system and gave them hope that at last something could be done.

The AAP’s  success in Delhi has opened the floodgates in terms of  people’s desire to become a part of this movement. Prominent personalities are joining the party every day, including high profile professionals who are quitting their careers to do so. The AAP has announced its intent to contest the Lok Sabha elections scheduled to be held within a few months. It has launched a membership drive that will take the party strength to one crore.

Now the important challenge is to find an economic model that will deliver not only a clean government to its people but also a continuously improving standard of living – in other words, growth. It is a long-term challenge for the people’s party and people’s government to deliver economic growth.

Making democracy work requires informed and active citizens who understand how to voice their interests, act collectively and hold public officials accountable. Citizens must understand the basis of citizenship, politics and government, and they need knowledge to make good policy choices and understand the proper use of authority. Citizens also need the desire to exercise their rights and the political space to do so without unreasonable resistance or harassment from authorities or others. And there are many different ways that you can get involved with decision-making to help shape the kind of society you want to live in whether at school, college or in your community. 

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT- Pictures and some informations are taken from google.

Anisha Das

M.Sc Media P.G 1