AAP’s opposition to Rohingya settlement shows a parochial party, unfit to be a national alternative'

[Sukla Sen]

The essential nature of the AAP's "post-ideology" or "apolitical" politics is perhaps best captured in its, soon to be aborted, past call for "Modi for PM, Arvind for CM" (ref.: <https://m.timesofindia.com/india/aap-removes-modi-for-pm-arvind-for-cm-banner-from-website-after-social-media-outrage/articleshow/45073870.cms>).

The very same attitude to politics now underlies its newest ambitious bid to emerge as a "national alternative" to the BJP.

That explains a range of its "political" stands -  from ready support for the monstrous scrapping of the Article 370 (ref.: <https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/aap-hails-scrapping-of-article-370-supports-bill-on-bifurcation-of-j-k/cid/1695887>) to its active demonisation of and tirade against the luckless Rohingyas.

The rather laudable performance in Delhi - in terms of significant improvement in civic facilities, is but one side of the picture.

That "democracy" in India is getting degraded by the day, which the AAP deliberately opts to overlook despite its own daily bad experience,  makes, however, the bid even more a mere pipe dream.

<<As campaign slogans go, “Make India No. 1” is a bit on the nose — the sort of virtuous nationalistic generalisation that is unexceptionable. But, on August 17, as Arvind Kejriwal — speaking against the background of a digital image of the tricolour rippling in a code-created breeze – made a pitch at being a national alternative to the BJP in 2024, his party showed exactly where it falls short.

It all began with a tweet that gave some small hope to Rohingya refugees in Delhi's Madanpur Khadar – fleeing persecution and living now in makeshift shelters without basic amenities. Union Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted that EWS flats would be provided to the Rohingya at Bakkarwala. Soon after, the Union Home Ministry clarified that no such flats are being provided. In the interim, though, the AAP displayed – in what has now become a pattern – a narrow-mindedness that has marred its stint in government. It accused the Centre of “hatching a conspiracy” to settle Rohingya refugees “for its own benefit”.

Earlier this year, on April 20, two articulate, young leaders of the AAP – Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and MLA Atishi, too, connected (without providing any concrete evidence) the Rohingya to communal violence in the city in the aftermath of the disturbing demolitions in Jahangirpuri. “BJP leaders established Bangladeshi and Rohingya settlements all over India,” Atishi said, “to use them as pawns for their rioting and violence.”>>

(Excerpted from: 'AAP’s opposition to Rohingya settlement shows a parochial party, unfit to be a national alternative' at <https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/aap-opposition-to-rohingya-settlement-shows-parochial-party-8098063/>.)