Meeting with “AAM AADMI”

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” – Mahatma Gandhi

There is a time in life when you see someone doing something, you suddenly feel like being a part of it and have the urge to do it impatiently. It’s something similar I have always thought whenever I saw team Anna Hazare working towards Janlokpal Bill, although the team has been separated now but the intention is still the same i.e. to help Aam Aadmi and make this country corruption free.

This is something I was waiting to write for long, eventually I got the reason today. As I write, I have no such excitement, in fact, I have a sense of understanding – reality is not what you see on television, you’ll come to know more about people’s suffering once you come little closer and spend time with them. I went there with lots of unanswered questions in mind but when I met people there all my questions got answered without anyone personally answering them, all I can say is I’m touched the way “Aam Aadmi Party” has been working.

It was few days back when I thought to write few lines on AAP in order to express my views about them.’ I was thinking to write something I haven’t wrote about any social worker ever before but later I realized why not meet Arvind in person and then write more precisely. In fact I was thinking to write something about similarities between Arvind and our freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh. I know that’s a big thing but that’s true, it’s all out of respect I have for this man. Like many others he refrained from working under the corrupt system and decided to stand against it.

As I said, I respect him because he is unlike any other illiterate or greedy politician, as we name them today. He is an IIT graduate and a former (IRS) and Joint Commissioner in the Income Tax Department, who resigned from his position to serve his country. He is well known for his role in drafting Janlokpal bill with Anna Hazare and his efforts to bring and implement the Right to Information (RTI) act at grassroots level. He has been struggling hard along with his party members for the people of his country. Though he has no intentions to become a CM but people supporting him want him to compete with the present CM Shiela Dixhit. What is destined will be known soon after the elections in Delhi i.e. 4th December.

Aam Aadmi Party has become a household name within a very short period of time, esp. in the Capital. For example if you visit Delhi you will not be surprised to see Shiela Dixit, or Rahul Gandhi’s pics in public places even in Metros but you will be amazed to see Arvind Kejriwals’s banners behind Auto Rikshas’, hoarding in colonies, and supporters proudly flaunting their trademark “Mai hu aam aadmi,” Cap.

In just one year AAP has amassed large no. of supporters without splurging even near to our Politicians in India. To testify that AAP carried out two polls so far in terms of which party people would like to see in power in 2014, based on the partial results figures are something like, 41% of those surveyed want Kejriwal as chief minister while 25% would like to see Dikshit back as CM and 23% for BJP.

And this says it all, AAP’s vision is clear, these people know where they stand, where they want to reach and how they will do that. Today if you see Congress you will easily come to the conclusion that they are not contesting elections but fighting to win and ready to go to any level and dirty their hands. On the other hand BJP which has gained insurmountable attention due to Narendra Modi, whom I sincerely respect, is still unable to gain traction in the Capital.

Respect for Arvind Kejriwal

Like most people I have also seen him on television and had heated debate with few of my friends but after meeting him I feel like respecting him more. A rustic and soft spoken person ready to go to extra mile to help people regardless of his relationship with them. I believe listening to someone’s problem is part of a solution itself, sometimes you don’t have to do more than just listening and that’s what these people have been doing. Since most politicians in our country are busy in honing their vitriolic speeches than working on their listening skills. How can you help people when you don’t have time to listen to their pleas which is why AAP is gaining momentum – by learning from others’ mistakes. As it’s rightly said, ‘Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.’

If you haven’t ever experienced pain, you can’t feel anybody’s pain, never. And it is a time we need people in public service with whom we can easily connect. Who are like us not servant of their luxurious lifestyles, AC cabins or bulletproof offices. As you can see in the pictures too this is Arvind Kejriwal’s office where he meets people, there is no AC, no security and no special cook or servant to serve him. He is as simple as he appears on the television, who wears simple shirt, trousers and chappals, respects every person and never favors or makes false promises to anyone.

I was quite amazed when I saw volunteers around him, some of them were in kurta payjama, some in track suits, and some even in formals. And there is equal no. of like-minded people from all ages working for free, as they say ‘birds of feathers flock together.’

All these people are slogging and working harder day by day to help the Aam Aadmi, as Dr.Abdul Kalam rightly said, ‘Let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow.’

Working style

The first rule to create something big is to think big – Peg high, ‘As long as you’re going to be thinking anyway, think big,’ said Donald Trump. Their working style is almost same like any other political party but the difference is that it’s much more transparent and receptive. From autoriksha driver, to college student to mercedez owner or NRIs every voice is heard and point noted down there (as you can see in the pictures above, while we are talking that person in blue shirt is jotting down important points), whatever they can do within their budget and powers they have been doing and that separates them from the rest.

What I would like to highlight here is the feeling of oneness and unity which is the prerequisite for the success of any organization, when you meet their team members you will never feel like an alien even if you are meeting them for first time, as a matter of fact you will feel like you are one of them. And most interestingly you’ll not when you start talking to them over issues pertaining to our country. (Try recalling why people amassed in support of Anna Hazare because they felt they were part of it .)

Their team works 24 x 7, they have people like us who are there to give away all their time to help the Common Man party win. Every team works independently and has an immediate senior, similarly there is a chain of key people who are directly associated with Arvind, which leads to zero communication gap, there is a lot of transparency at every level. Almost in every locality in Delhi they have their office where they address people’s daily issues and help them in the best of their capacities.

I saw people coming from faraway places like Bihar, UP, Haryana etc. to meet him. Students from schools coming to him to support and invite him in their localities, there was a student, representing a group, who took all of us by surprise by reciting a poem to him. That was awesome, I don’t think any politician of his stature in our country has time to do all that except during elections.

All I want to say is that other parties must learn a lesson or two from AAP, they are not magicians, they are ‘Common People,’ like you and me. And if ‘Aam Aadmi’ wants he can make wonders and concurrently give sleepless nights, as AAP is doing, to his rivals, you will get my point if you have seen movie, ‘A Wednesday’.

Life might be tougher for a person who is genuinely helpful, there are times when one has to sleep without food and give up basic amenities of life, but for him the end is really beautiful. Undoubtedly, I can say that this will be a record breaking year when most of our young population will be casting their votes in the forthcoming elections.

The Power of Aam Aadmi is giving a tough time to all the political parties and gaining immense help in every which way from Indians living in India and abroad. People who can’t join them are doing their bit by donating money through their website www.aamaadmiparty.org/

I believe if we keep working like this, the day will not be far when all the corrupt politicians will be behind bars; arresting of few of the high profile politicians is just the beginning, stay tuned and do vote for the person your heart wants to win. Save your country, save your future!