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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is a political party in India that was launched in November 2012. The name translates in English as "The Common Man's Party".

The AAP has led several highly visible protests after its launch including fight against Government-private corporations nexus in hiking up Electricity and Water bills in Delhi, fighting for justice for survivors/ victims of sexual harassment and rape and demanding a strong anti-rape law in India.

Background

The origins of the AAP can be traced to a difference of opinion between Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazare, who were activists and had both been involved in Team Anna, a strand of the anti-corruption movement that had gained momentum in India during 2011 and 2012. Hazare had wanted to keep the movement politically neutral but Kejriwal considered that direct involvement in politics was necessary because attempts to obtain progress regarding the Jan Lokpal Bill through talks with existing political parties had, in his opinion, achieved nothing. A survey conducted by the India Against Corruption organisation using social networks had indicated that there was wide support for politicisation.

The two men agreed on 19 September 2012 that their differences regarding a role in politics were irreconcilable. Kejriwal had support from some well-known people involved in the anti-corruption movement, such as Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan, but was opposed by others such as Kiran Bedi and Santosh Hegde. In October, Kejriwal announced that he was forming a political party and that he intended the formal launch to be 26 November, coinciding with the anniversary of India's adoption of its constitution in 1949.

The party name reflects the phrase Aam Aadmi, or "common man", whose interests Kejriwal proposed to represent. A party constitution was adopted on 24 November 2012, when a National Council comprising 320 people and a National Executive of 23 were also formed. Both the Council and the Executive were expected to have more members in due course, with the intention being that all districts and all classes of people would have a voice. Various committees were to be formed to draft proposals for adoption by the party in a process that was expected to take several months. Although one aim was to limit nepotism, there were complaints at this initial meeting that the selection of people invited to attend was itself an example of such practices. The party was formally launched in Delhi on 26 November and in March 2013 it was officially recognised as a political party by the Election Commission of India.

Ideology

The AAP believe that the promise of equalities that forms a part of the constitution of India has not been fulfilled and that the independence of India has replaced enslavement to an oppressive foreign power with that to a political elite. The party claims that the common people of India remain unheard and unseen except when it suits the politicians to consider them. The party wants "a complete rehaul in the way political parties and their leaders function" and cites the Gandhian concept of swaraj as a tenet. Swaraj lays stress on governance not by a hierarchical government but by self governance through individuals and community building. The focus is on political decentralisation.

The party founders accuse existing political parties and politicians to have made today's politics synonymous with corruption and crime and attribute the dysfunctional nature of current politics to the rampant corruption. They intended change by making removal of corruption first priority of the parliament. Their main agenda is to make politics once again associated with patriotism and social service.

The founders of the party have refused to be guided by ideologies by stating that they are entering politics to change the system and are mere Aam aadmi. Arvind Kejriwal has said that “We define what the problem is and we try to find the solution. If that solution is available in the left, we take it from the left and if that solution is available in the right, we take it from the right”.

Vision

The AAP's vision is to implement swaraj and give power back to the common people of India. They plan to achieve this by creating systems whereby elected politicians will be directly responsible to their constituents. To this effect, the AAP has suggested making systemic changes in the working of government to make it more transparent and accountable. They want to implement following laws to achieve this.

• Jan Lokpal - A powerful ombudsman law to restrain rampant corruption in the government which will punish those found guilty of corruption in timely and effective manner.

• Right to Reject - Make changes in the current voting system to allow a voter to reject all candidates if he feels that no candidate standing in the election is worth his vote.

• Right to Recall - If an elected candidate is not working to the standards expected from him after election then people will have power to recall him and select a new candidate.

• Swaraj (political decentralization) - To create systems to enable people to influence policy decisions that effect their local area directly.

Support

On 26 November 2012, the foundation day of the AAP, the former law minister Shanti Bhushan donated ₹10 million (US$120,000). His son sits on the party's National Executive.

The AAP claims to be the only political party in India to disclose on is website the details of all its donors irrespective of the amount donated.

On 18 May 2013, a group of Indian-Americans from 20 different cities in the US held a convention in Chicago and extended support to the AAP. The convention was attended by two AAP leaders, Kumar Vishwas and Yogendra Yadav, and Kejriwal addressed it via video conferencing.

Protests

On 23 March 2013, Kejriwal started his indefinite fast against inflated power and electricity bills from a house in Sundar Nagri, a low-income group resettlement colony in North-East Delhi. During protest he urged Delhi citizens not to pay "inflated" water and electricity bills. The AAP claimed that the protest gathered support from one million people in Delhi.

See also

• Swaraj (book)

References

1. PTI (19 May 2013). "AAP workers protest at residences of Delhi CM, MLAs". Times of India. New Delhi.
2. "Delhi police arrests driver on rape charge after AAP activists protest". India Tv News channel. New Delhi. 24 May 2013.
3. ANI (28 April 2013). "AAP protests against inflated electricity bills in New Delhi, submits letters to Shiela Dikshit". newstrackindia.com. New Delhi.
4. "Promise to Keep". Frontline Magzine. Retrieved December 15-28,2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
5. ^ "Anna Hazare tells Arvind Kejriwal not to use his name, photo for votes as they part ways". New Delhi: India Today. PTI. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
6. ^ "So what is the Aam Aadmi Party all about". New Delhi: India Today. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
7. "Arvind Kejriwal's answer to Congress's 'mango people', names his political front as Aam Aadmi Party". New Delhi: India Today. PTI. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
8. "Arvind Kejriwal formally launches Aam Aadmi Party". India Today. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
9. "Aam Aadmi Party now a registered political party". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
10. "Our Vision". Aam Aadmi Party. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
11. Parel, Anthony (1997). Hind Swaraj and other writings of M. K. Gandhi. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
12. "Arvind Kejriwal is not an angry man. Or a socialist". The FirstPost. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
13. "'We Are Not Wedded to Any Ideology'". Open magazine. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
14. "We are not leftist nor rightist". New Delhi.
15. ^ "I am not entering politics to acquire power". Times of India. New Delhi. 24 September 2012.
16. "New Delhi Shanti Bhushan donates Rs. 1 crore to Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party". Hindustan Times. New Delhi. Press Trust of India. 26 November 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
17. "Real time feed of donors". aamaadmiparty.org.
18. "CIC order: Transparency is important in democracy, says Arvind Kejriwal". The Economic Times. New Delhi. 6 June 2013.
19. "Chicago NRIs meet extends support to Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party". Firstpost. 20 May 2013.
20. "Indian-Americans extend support to Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party". IBN Live. 20 May 2013.
21. "Aam Aadami Party Begins Civil Disobidience Movement". The Hindu Newspaper. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
22. First Post, 24 March 2013. "Kerjiwal moves to Delhi's power corridor to protest against 'inflated' power bills". First Post.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
23. The Economic Times, 29 March 2013. "Eminent personalities support Kejriwal's movement". The Economic Times.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

• Official website

• Use dmy dates from June 2013
• Political parties in India
• Political parties established in 2012
• 2012 establishments in India