Politicians should learn from Kejriwal: Taslima

SUVOJIT BAGCHI

Congratulating Arvind Kejriwal for his landslide victory, writer Taslima Nasreen has said the AAP chief has “added a new trend” in India’s tradition of secular politics.

“Indian politicians have much to learn from Arvind Kejriwal on how to remain completely unbiased by refusing endorsements of a communal figure like Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari and still to win an election,” the exiled writer told The Hindu .

Guts to separate the state from religion

She earlier thanked Mr. Kejriwal for “rejecting the support offered” by the Shahi Imam, soon after the party refused to accept endorsements of the chief Imam of Jama Masjid.

“Mr. Kejriwal has added a new trend in Indian and South Asian politics, when a politician, after ages, showed the guts to separate the state from religion. The fanatics of all religions call the shots as the politicians beg in front of them…Kejriwal has established that it is possible to win an election without taking the support of extremely communal figures like Shahi Imam Bukhari,” she said.

“I wonder if any other politician — even the BJP — can ignore Shahi Imam and still contest the election in India…this is exactly what we all want at the moment,” the writer said over phone.

Kejriwal’s neutrality

Ms. Nasreen had been apprehensive of the AAP and Mr. Kejriwal’s neutrality a few months back as the party leadership met Maulana Tauquuer Raza Khan in Bareilly in 2013 ostensibly to seek support for the then Assembly poll.

“I objected. Maulana Khan was the person who is an extremely divisive figure and declared an award of five lakh on my head…but it is wonderful that Mr. Kejriwal could understand his mistake and by refusing to accept the endorsement of Shahi Imam, he has refused to repeat the mistake to take the help of communal forces. I congratulate Mr. Kejriwal and his team,” Ms. Nasreen said. Interestingly, Ms. Nasreen also congratulated Kiran Bedi last week on Twitter for being “so energetic.”

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