An intolerant mindset

Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal has crossed boundaries before, but on Friday in Nagpur he appeared to go berserk as he threatened to set up an inquiry and jail mediapersons and others if his party came to power. His anger was mainly directed against news channels “which took money from political parties for favourable coverage”. Particularly, he seemed to suggest that many were seeking to promote BJP PM nominee Narendra Modi for a consideration. As is his wont, he offered no proof.

Since Mr Kejriwal did not name any news organisation or journalist, it is doubtful he can be challenged legally. In any case, no one took legal action against him in the past when he arbitrarily began calling leaders of other parties “corrupt”. Probably this is because it is too much trouble going through legal procedures. It is also because many political leaders themselves just manage to stay within the technical bounds and avoid being outright slanderous.

The public has grown inured to this regrettable trend and does not pay much attention to wild allegations. But it is fairly clear that the AAP leader reveals a mindset that is intolerant of criticism. It is deplorable that a leader who, in the eyes of many, presaged to be sitting on the wings of positive change should think nothing of issuing threats all the time. Indeed, this seems the basis of his version of the Lokpal Bill and his manifesto as revealed in his book. It is no less regrettable that he should seek to exploit the angst of the underprivileged in society, some of whom may harbour the view that their unfortunate lot is traceable to others stealing what is due to them. In playing this game, Mr Kejriwal frequently undermines public institutions.

The country has long been used to the AAP leader and his senior colleagues’ use of intemperate language against prominent individuals and institutions of democracy without a shred of proof. Far from being questioned, he used to be lionised until his transgressions as Delhi CM began to attract criticism. It was surprising that the political class and the media did not react when in an extraordinary gesture — and again without proof — the erstwhile Kejriwal government in Delhi filed corruption cases against petroleum minister Veerappa Moily and others, including a captain of industry associated with gas exploitation. While Mr Kejriwal has leveraged his position to attack institutions of democracy and the media, it is noticeable that elements of the media have not always maintained an even tone and tenor.