AAP leader came to know of Narendra Modi's "real face" after the two met in 2010: Kejriwal aide

By A Representative
Following his Gujarat trip, and what would some term as his unprecedented attack on Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi during his four-day visit to the state, has Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal's “liking” for the BJP prime ministerial candidate come to a final end? As earlier reported (click HERE to read), Kejriwal was quite “impressed” by Modi ahead of the launch of India Against Corruption (IAC) in 2011, so much so that he, after great difficulty, managed an appointment with the Gujarat CM. It is quite another things that tables have turned now; he went to Modi residence straight dare the CM and ask difficult questions, without the need for an appointment, only to be stopped by cops 5 km away.
If a top Kejriwal aide is to be believed, the AAP leader “realised” that he cannot go along with Modi after he met the Gujarat CM in 2010. Revealing what exactly happened during the meeting, which lasted for two-and-a-half years, the aide, Dinesh Waghela, who formed part of the Kejriwal team which came to Gujarat, told Counterview that the two sides discussed the Jan Lokpal Bill, for which the IAC was planning to campaign.
“Kejriwal met Modi to find out what the Gujarat CM had to say about the Bill. Modi gave Kejriwal his version of the Bill, which differed from the one that the IAC was to propose. Both differed sharply and parted”, Waghela said, adding, “With this ended Kejriwal's view that Modi could in any way be helpful in the fight against corruption. Things became clearer when Gujarat government came up with its Lokayukta amendment bill a little later. Gujarat's Lokayukta bill sought to undermine whatever good things were there in the existing Lokyaukta Act were there.”
In fact, according to Waghela, Gujarat's Lokayukta bill is “even weaker than the one that has been jointly passed in national Parliament”. Reflecting Kejriwal's view on it, he said, “Here, the chief appointee of the Lokayukta is the chief minister, which is not the case with the Lokpal Act passed in Parliament. The right of the chief justice of Gujarat high court to suggest names for Lokayukta have been cornered, under the Bill, by the chief minister.” The Bill has been returned twice by the Gujarat governor for review, because the governor believes it is “weaker” than the existing Act.
Answering a series of questions, Waghela suggested, in Kejriwal's view, communalism was a bigger danger than corruption in India. “We do not believe in seeking support in the name of religion, caste or creed”, he said, though adding, “Any attempt to curb religious freedom, which is a fundamental right of an individual, should be opposed.” He was referring to Gujarat's anti-conversion law, which makes it mandatory for any individual seeking to change a religion to take the permission of the state. “Why should state come in the way of anyone following a particular religion? This is very dangerous”, he wondered.
Asked how did he expect support in Gujarat where AAP had no base, he banked on what he called the “surprise element” in Arvind Kejriwal which, he was sure, would attract the voters. He disagreed with the view that there was no movement in Gujarat in favour of AAP, one reason why it was not possible for the party to gain any support. “I have moved around in Gujarat. I find much more support in this state than what I found in Delhi during the assembly polls last year. People in Delhi used to laugh at us when we said we would fight polls and win. But they later voted for us. Gujarat is far better”, he opined.
The “surprise element” he was referring to related to Kejriwal's sudden decision to visit Gujarat, where he was able to create considerable flutter in North Gujarat, Kutch and Ahmedabad. His decision to “meet” Modi to ask him 16 simple questions took everyone aback. His popular support at the rally in Bapunagar, known to be BJP base, suggested that AAP seemed to be gaining more strength than what many had presumed. Observers, however, wondered if Gujarat's fledgling and divided AAP would be able to capitalise on the support that Kejriwal has been be muster for the party.

Comments

Is vaccine the Voldemort of modern medicine to be left undiscussed, unscrutinised?

By Deepika* Sridhar Vembu of Zoho stirred up an internet storm by tweeting about the possible link of autism to the growing number of vaccines given to children in India . He had only asked the parents to analyse the connection but doctors, so called public health experts vehemently started opposing Vembu's claims, labeling them "dangerous misinformation" that could erode “vaccine trust”!

Justice for Zubeen Garg: Fans persist as investigations continue in India and Singapore

By Nava Thakuria* Even a month after the death of Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg in Singapore under mysterious circumstances, thousands of his fans and admirers across eastern India continue their campaign for “ JusticeForZubeenGarg .” A large digital campaign has gained momentum, with over two million social media users from around the world demanding legal action against those allegedly responsible. Although the Assam government has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has arrested seven people, and a judicial commission headed by Justice Soumitra Saikia of the Gauhati High Court to oversee the probe, public pressure for justice remains strong.

US-China truce temporary, larger trade war between two economies to continue

By Prabir Purkayastha The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025 may have brought about a temporary relief in the US-China trade war. But unless we see the fine print of the agreement, it is difficult to assess whether this is a temporary truce or the beginning of a real rapprochement between the two nations. The jury is still out on that one and we will wait for a better understanding of what has really been achieved in Busan.

From the black liberation struggle to exile: The story of Assata Shakur

By Harsh Thakor* Assata Shakur , former member of the Black Liberation Army and a prominent figure in the Black liberation movement , died on September 25 in Havana, Cuba , at the age of 78.

Budgam by-poll to decide if National Conference still holds the ground in J&K

By Raqif Makhdoomi “Zoun ho Zoun ho, PDP’an Zoun ho” — the chant echoes through the streets of Budgam as election fever grips the district. Despite the dipping temperatures, people continue to gather at late-night rallies with enthusiasm. The slogan gained popularity during the 2024 assembly elections when People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti, while campaigning, inadvertently mispronounced it as “Zoon ho Zoon ho,” a moment that went viral and has since become a fixture in local political rallies.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Govt claims about 'revolutionary' rice varieties raise eyebrows: SC order reserved since Jan '24

By Rosamma Thomas * In a matter of grave importance for agriculture, public health awaits Supreme Court ruling, even as top Government of India bureaucrats stand accused of “willful and deliberate disobedience” of the top court. While a contempt petition filed by Aruna Rodrigues , lead petitioner in the Genetic Modification (GM) of crops matter remains pending in the Supreme Court since July 2025, the Union ministry of agriculture asserts that two home-grown gene edited rice varieties are of superior quality, and hold potential for “revolutionary changes in higher production, climate adaptability, and water conservation.” In May 2025, the Press Information Bureau released a press release stating that a “historic milestone” had been reached, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ; the new varieties, DRR Rice 100 (Kamla) and Pusa DST Rice 1 , the press release stated, offer both benefits – increased production and environmental conservation.

Neglected dimension: Important linkages of social relationships, values to climate change

By Bharat Dogra A very important but neglected dimension of the efforts to resolve climate change and related serious environmental problems concerns the social values and relationships among people. To bring out the significance of this neglected aspect let us examine the response of two different types of societies. First, let us try to compare a society in which family and community ties are strong and close with another society where these are weak, where there is strong individualism and a very high number of single person households or units. In the first society there is more sharing of resources and facilities, so that this society tends to consume less (to meet needs such as housing and various gadgets). In addition there is much greater possibility in the first society to mobilize people for tasks like greening of community places or even household spaces. When it comes to tasks relating to climate change adaptation, it is the societies with close social relationships wh...

Ex-civil servants warn of ecological disaster, demand fiscal support for Himalayan states

By A Representative The Constitutional Conduct Group (CCG), a collective of 103 former civil servants, has written to Dr. Arvind Panagariya , Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, urging that the Commission give special consideration to the ecological fragility and economic vulnerability of India’s Himalayan states . The group has called for the creation of a substantial “ Green Fund ” or “Green Bonus” to compensate these states for their contribution to the country’s environmental stability and national well-being.

Search This Blog