Kejriwal, AAP leaders apologise for apathy

Delhi CM says rally should have been called off after farmer suicide at venue

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal apologised on Friday for continuing with his rally despite a farmer committing suicide during the event at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday.

Facing strong criticism for purportedly apathetic behaviour, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tried to control the damage on Friday.

Party leader Ashutosh spoke to the deceased farmer Gajendra Singh’s daughter on TV and broke down during the interaction. A journalist before joining politics, he, too, has faced barbs for saying that the next time anyone tried to commit suicide, the Delhi chief minister would climb the tree to save the person.

Gajendra had hanged himself from a tree, in the presence of AAP workers and the police. He was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved.

Ashutosh’s AAP colleague Sanjay Singh visited Gajendra’s village Nangal Jhamarwada in Rajasthan, about 60 km from Jaipur, and gave the farmer’s family a cheque of Rs 10 lakh as compensation. Kejriwal, too, called up Gajendra’s family.

AAP has faced criticism for continuing with the rally despite the incident and blaming Delhi Police for not stopping the suicide.

On Friday, Kejriwal said: “I had to deliver an hour-long speech (at the rally); I wrapped it up in 10-15 minutes. It was my mistake. Probably, I should not have spoken. If it has hurt anyone’s feelings I would like to apologise.”

He also tried to take the focus away from his party’s perceived apathy to the issue of farmer suicides, which all opposition parties have used to corner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling National Democratic Alliance.

“I am guilty. Blame me,” said Kejriwal. “I feel the rally should have been called off. But please focus on the real issue of farmers and desist from politicising it. Whoever is guilty, hang him but the focus of the debate should be on why the farmers are committing suicide.”

Despite a flurry of apologies, including AAP leader Ashutosh saying sorry to Gajendra’s daughter for not being able to save her father, the Twitterati were unforgiving — #Ashucries was trending on the micro-blogging site.

Gajendra’s family, too, has demanded a CBI probe. They have also demanded he be given the honour of a kisan martyr and employment for his kin.

BJP, however, has blamed AAP for instigating Gajendra; Congress has demanded a judicial probe into the incident.