Since time immemorial, men and women have endeavoured to create a one-shot magic solution for all difficulties. Children across cultures have grown up on bedtime stories of great magicians and fairy queens with magic wands capable of granting every wish. Others have searched for the elusive panacea to cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. In the middle ages, alchemists sought to create the mythical philosopher's stone to transmute iron into gold.
The citizens of Delhi, strangely, are living through similar times. They wholeheartedly elected a political party on a promise to deliver a magnificent agenda of development and governance. Within its first four months in office, however, Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party government, rather than delivering governance, seems more interested in inventing an original brand of political alchemy.
Arvind Kejriwal's AAP is in war mode, ostensibly in a fight to punish the corrupt. And in an abiding conspiracy theory, the AAP leadership seems to believe that everyone beyond their fold is seeking to prevent them from fighting corruption. This single line of defence is their justification while leveling wild allegations against all who question the legitimacy of their authority. This includes the Union Government, officers from the permanent executive, the media and even the judiciary. Through shrill cacophony, they attempt to drown the voice of reason and constitutionality.
The latest bone of contention is how the AAP government wants to use the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Delhi. Initial media reports exposed plans to purchase snooping and surveillance equipment for the ACB. This raised serious concerns over privacy and whether misuse could result in targeting the Union Government of India, the Parliament, Supreme Court, Election Commission or even embassies of various countries.
Thereafter, another attempt followed to bolster the ACB. The media reported that the Delhi government had sought the services of police officers on "loan" from various non-BJP ruled states. Some from Bihar are alleged to have joined or withdrawn consent for such a posting.
The crux of the problem is rooted in the nature of Delhi as defined in the Constitution of India. It is a Union Territory with a legislative house. Since Delhi is not a state and is instead a Union Territory, the elected government in Delhi doesn't have powers in certain areas, which includes the police. The Delhi Police, under law, reports to the Union Home Ministry.
Nowhere has AAP answered a fundamental question - if police is not a subject under their authority, how can raising a police force be constitutionally correct? Additionally, why is it that the AAP persistently picks on issues that lie beyond its purview, instead of concentrating on the powers it does have? These include health, sanitation, education, transport, and policy formulation among several others.
The fight against corruption begins by enacting systems and procedures that prevent corruption at the start of the process of interface between citizens and government agencies. This lies in the domain of legislation and governance. The Delhi Government can decide to improve systems, through checks and balances, to prevent corruption in numerous bodies that deal with citizens on a daily basis. They can legitimately transfer officers in these departments, if they wish, to check and prevent corruption.
Yet they do not do so, displaying scant inclination in this direction. What they desire, it seems, is to pick on contentious issues and create a splash, rather than seriously resolve to implement their manifesto promises. In an attempt to accumulate further power and attention, they distract themselves from earnestly addressing and discharging authority in areas of governance where they can make a difference.
A government at war with everyone is hardly a government that can serve the interests of its citizens. AAP apparently wishes to wipe everything away. It mistrusts everyone, in an attempt to recreate and re-invent the wheel. Their search for a political panacea is far from practical or appropriate.
The legislature, executive, judiciary and media, each has a specific role to perform. Each, in their lot, has honest men and women committed to their task. Attacking them, unreasonably, is hardly an appeal for either cooperation or an attempt at political maturity. By seeking officers from other state services, they disillusion earnest officers within the system. AAP might therefore do well, at this point, to recall and reflect on MK Gandhi's words - "the end is inherent in the means."
(Nalin S Kohli is spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Director of the party's Public Policy Research Centre. He is also an advocate and has extensive experience in media and education.)Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.