‘Signs of authoritarian regime’: Ajay Maken on curbs in Delhi during anti-CAA protests | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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‘Signs of authoritarian regime’: Ajay Maken on curbs in Delhi during anti-CAA protests

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByAmrita Madhukalya
Dec 20, 2019 03:42 PM IST

Ajay Maken accuses Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of playing “second fiddle” to the BJP.

Delhi has been witnessing a series of protests against the citizenship law by different political parties and students. The violence that has followed these protests affected the normal life in the national capital. Congress leader Ajay Maken speaks to Hindustan Times about the protests, its impact on next year’s assembly elections in Delhi and why the new law is unconstitutional.

File photo of Congress leader Ajay Maken.(Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)
File photo of Congress leader Ajay Maken.(Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

He also accuses Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of playing “second fiddle” to the BJP. Here is the full interview:

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Q: Internet was snapped in parts of Delhi, and Section 144 was imposed. During the protests your family was detained as well. What do you have to say about what Delhi went through on Thursday?

Ajay Maken: These are signs of an authoritarian regime. In the last few days, we have seen in Delhi and in many other parts of India, the state dealing with students in such a heavy-handed manner, as never before. Police entering a university’s campus without permission, beating students and hurling teargas shells in its library, internet snapped, more than half of Metro stations closed, Delhi-Gurgaon border sealed resulting in cancellation of 19 flights and delay of 16 flights, detention of peacefully protesting school and college going students, detention of university professors, historians, artists are all signs of a paranoid government.

Q: Do you think that this could have been avoided? In what ways would a Congress government have dealt with this?

Ajay Maken: This could have been easily avoided. Why the protests were generally peaceful in Congress-ruled Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh? Why is it that most of the disturbing news of violence is coming from BJP-controlled police states like UP, Karnataka, Gujarat, Assam, Tripura, other Northeastern states and Delhi?

The Congress government, at the first place, would not have brought this divisive law, which is against the basic spirit of our Constitution and more importantly, is against our cultural ethos of ‘Universal Brotherhood’ or ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ as spelled out in Maha Upanishad. These words are engraved upon the entrance hall of Indian Parliament. Leave aside ‘universal’ brotherhood, the CAA is destroying our ‘internal’ brotherhood within our own country.

A small difference between the way Congress would have dealt with it and how the BJP is dealing, can be found in the data regarding internet shutdowns. From 2012 to 2014, during the peak of Anna movement, the average internet shutdowns were four per year. This year alone, this figure has surpassed 95 times.

Q: Will the agitation over Citizenship Amendment Act-National Register of Citizens and the subsequent protests affect the elections in Delhi?

Ajay Maken: I don’t know about the elections, but this has dented the image of India. Foreign dignitaries are cancelling their visits. The entire Northeast is burning and getting alienated. India’s image as a modern and secular state - but still immersed in ancient Vedic traditions of ‘Universal Brotherhood’ and tolerance - has taken a beating.

Q: The protests are reminiscent of the India Against Corruption days when people came out on the streets. Do you think it is 2011 moment for the BJP in terms of the anger among the youth?

Ajay Maken: No two movements can be compared, both in terms of their demands and their impact. These are two different movements across different times, dealt by two different types of government. Whereas 2011 movement resulted in a successful legislation of ‘The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013’, the success of this movement is yet to be seen in terms of result, whereas the public mobilisation and movement is much higher now.

Q: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has smartly linked the CAA to unemployment and livelihood issues, and has not gone into the aspects of granting citizenship on religious grounds as highlighted by the BJP. Where does the Congress stand in this debate?

Ajay Maken: After slipping down to third position, behind the Congress party and securing just 18 per cent of votes in the Lok Sabha elections, Kejriwal has not only stopped talking against the Union BJP government but also has surprised many by his support to Modi on some matters.

Congress organised a month-long nationwide protest from district level to the state headquarters from November 4 against the unemployment and failing economy. It culminated in a massive December 14 rally at Ramlila Ground. Kejriwal’s party, known for its ‘dharnas’ - can he point out at a single protest of scale in the last six months against the Union government on unemployment and failing economy? So where is the question of linking one issue with other? He is astonishingly quiet on both and playing a second fiddle to the BJP. Congress fought in Parliament and on the streets on livelihood issues, failing economy. We will fight to any extent to save our Constitution. Further, the Congress party would organise “Save India-Save Constitution” flag march at all state capitals on December 28, 2019, its foundation day.

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