NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwalโs recent Vipassana retreat in Punjabโs Hoshiarpur district has ignited a political firestorm, with opposition leaders lambasting the extensive security convoy that accompanied him. The convoy, reportedly comprising over 20 vehicles, including bulletproof SUVs, Punjab Police commandos, jammers, a fire brigade, and ambulances, has been labeled as a stark departure from Kejriwalโs erstwhile โcommon manโ image.
Opposition figures from both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have seized upon the opportunity to criticize Kejriwalโs perceived embrace of VIP culture.
ALSO READ: EUโs $850 billion defense boost opens doors for Indian firms
Pargat Singh, Congress MLA from Jalandhar Cantt, questioned the necessity of such a grand convoy for a meditation retreat, stating:
โVipassana is for peace and relaxation of the mind. Whatโs the idea behind Kejriwalโs high-decibel entry to Punjab? A leader who used to boast that he was still using his WagonR is misusing the resources of Punjab. It is because of such leaders that the people have lost faith in politicians.โ
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a BJP leader and Delhi minister, criticized Kejriwalโs transformation, remarking:
โArvind Kejriwal, who once pretended to be a common man in a WagonR, now moves in a lavish convoy of bulletproof Land Cruisers, over 100 Punjab Police commandos, jammers, and ambulancesโlike a VIP Maharaja all for Vipassana, a retreat meant for peace! If power was his test, he has failed miserably.โ
Sandeep Dikshit, a Congress leader, accused Kejriwal of abandoning his earlier claims of simplicity, stating:
โI have been saying for 10 years that he is greedy for power. When he used to get votes on the basis of simplicity, even then, we used to say that his simplicity was just a pretenseโฆ He has become so used to the extravagance that comes with power that he has 100 vehicles in his convoy to accompany him for a meditation retreat.โ
Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi BJP President, dismissed Kejriwalโs meditation retreat as a facade, asserting:
โHe is not able to leave the lavish lifestyle and VIP culture. This is not Vipassana, but โVirasataโ. It is just a medium to loot the taxpayerโs money. This is a desire for enjoyment and facilities which he is not able to leave. It is in his mind to loot the people of Punjab now. He needs to have remorse instead of going for Vipassana.โ
ALSO READ: Sunita Williams clashes with Musk: ISS not ready for shutdown yet
AAPโs Defense
In response to the allegations, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has defended the security arrangements, citing protocol and existing threat assessments. AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar stated that security provisions are determined by established protocols and that the BJP and Congress are unnecessarily politicizing the issue.
Public Perception and Political Implications
This incident has sparked a broader debate about the authenticity of political personas and the allure of power. Kejriwal, who once symbolized the antithesis of traditional VIP culture, now faces scrutiny over actions that appear contradictory to his earlier stance. As AAP expands its political footprint beyond Delhi and Punjab, maintaining the delicate balance between necessary security measures and the partyโs foundational principles becomes increasingly challenging.
Arvind Kejriwalโs Vipassana retreat, intended as a personal journey towards mindfulness, has inadvertently become a focal point of political contention. The contrasting narrativesโbetween perceived security necessities and allegations of hypocrisyโunderscore the complexities political leaders face in aligning their actions with their proclaimed ideals.
