Kejriwal's Khap Panchayat

After two days of agitation, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal decided to call off his stir against the Delhi Police and the Union home ministry. In a country that prides itself to be a democracy, Kejriwal’s dharna could well be justified as a non-violent democratic protest but a stubborn leader who has made it to the national scene through his agitational antics, appears to be a man possessed who is exposing Aam Aadmi (common man) to the risks of lawlessness.

His many supporters justify his law minister Somnath Bharti’s action on the grounds that the local residents had been complaining about an alleged drug and sex racket in the Khirki Extension area of South Delhi. So, one evening Bharti decided to land at the site along with a crowd of residents to demand police action against some African nationals.

If the reason justified his action, the likelihood of Bharti doing this again is high. If not Bharti, any other local leader or self-proclaimed righteous individual could land up outside any house and demand action against what they deem as illegal, immoral or simply something against well-established social norms. These individuals could be leading to formation of urban Khap panchayats. Where and who draws the line for them?

Even before Kejriwal took to streets, he justified Bharti’s action by saying rape happens because of sex and drug rackets. An ill-informed statement that smacks of prejudice against sex workers, who probably prevent scores of sexual assaults from happening by rendering service to those on look-out for sex, is something which he could have done without saying.

Whether the complaints of the residents of that area are true or not, the dignity of an alleged wrong doer cannot be compromised. Even the khaps in rural areas of western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana justify their decadent actions on popular support which most times comes from the families of the victims itself. Bharti can at best be a law maker in his capacity as a minister and as a legislator—he cannot be a policeman or a judge who orders around for people to be arrested.

How different was Bharti and his men from those who lynch thieves or petty criminals on streets? If at all, the policemen who stood up to the pressure of the minister that night despite a crowd supporting Bharti should be lauded for not coming under political pressure and saving the alleged criminals.

Though some may say that since the Delhi police does not directly come under the state government, the policemen knew that Bharti cannot do anything to them. Nevertheless, the sheer guts of a government employee to stand up to a minister comes with a risk to his career.

Isn’t Kejriwal and company using their political clout to influence the police? And, who will guarantee that once the Delhi police moves to the state government, there will not be any undue influence from the same leaders? Or does Kejriwal think that he the honest man personified is here to rule for eternity?

The dangers of such politics which incites people to needlessly break law lies in the disenchantment it builds against time and tested governance systems that have helped the democratic framework to survive. Kejriwal and his supporters need to look around the globe to see how young nations have failed because of fragile institutions.

Despite the many flaws Indian democracy may have had, it has helped people like Kejriwal to educate themselves, earn a living, survive and even grow as professional protestors. It will do him and his supporters a great deal of good, if he gives up the politics of hounding individuals and gets down to constructive work.