New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal addressed the 10th National Council meeting of the party today. The AAP Convenor said that the Aam Aadmi Party has come to change the politics of 'power through money and money through power'.
He said that after seeing AAP run the government in Delhi, people across the country have started feeling that the Aam Aadmi Party is the only hope. He said that Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar are the ultimate ideals of the Aam Aadmi Party and the party will follow the path shown by them. He said that every AAP worker has to be ready to sacrifice and fight like them. He added that at AAP everyone has to work a lot for the society and country, but never aspire for any position.
Kejriwal reiterated that he doesn't want people to ever say that AAP has become like BJP, Congress and other parties. He hoped that the purpose for which the party was formed would definitely be fulfilled. At the same time, Senior AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that even in the last 70 years, political parties could not take the country to the quantum of the potential of the country.
AAP’s work in the pandemic making waves all over the world: Arvind Kejriwal
Addressing the party members National Convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said, “I am delighted that we have successfully onboarded the Aam Aadmi Party’s new National Council. I hope and pray that the tenure of this council is extremely fruitful and prosperous. For the past 2 years, this country and the entire country are witnessing the toughest pandemic ever recorded in history. Only the Spanish Flu that came 100 years ago had a similar quantum. During this period, the Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi Government made tremendous efforts on its part to fight the pandemic. I am not saying that the other governments did nothing, all state governments and the centre did all they could. So did we, with the help of the 2 crore people of Delhi.”
Made the practice of home isolation, plasma therapy realistic in Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal
“All this while, we also witnessed a lot of firsts spring-boarding in Delhi. Plasma Therapy began in Delhi itself. We established the first Plasma Bank at ILBS and the second at LNJP. Delhi showed the world how home-isolation could be made possible, and how to look after not just patients but also healthcare workers. In Delhi, we honoured the sacrifice of all the healthcare workers and frontline workers who martyred fighting with COVID-19 by giving their families a ‘Sahayta Raashi’ of Rs. 1 crore. A lot of such efforts were implemented for the first time in Delhi. We all together were able to curb the spread of the virus and I pray to god that COVID doesn’t come back and the third-wave doesn’t come back,” the Delhi CM added.
AAP Karyakartas did their best to help people across India: Arvind Kejriwal
“Throughout the country, the Karyakartas of the Aam Aadmi Party put in the best of their efforts to help people at their own level. Every time I got to know about their efforts, I swelled with pride. This is the reason why AAP was created. From every nook and corner, we saw the rise of new kinds of heroes of AAP. One such example is of MLA Dilip Pandey. Whenever someone faced a problem in Delhi, they’d be told to contact Dilip. Like him, there were countless such heroes from AAP who devotedly helped people. We got to know many such stories from Mumbai, where AAP workers put in their day and night to help people. All the party members worked with full faith and dedication to help whoever they could. I will be forever grateful to each one of our party members for their efforts. We will also work on a compilation of all the work our party members did across the country during the pandemic to share within the party and inspire each other,” he said.
Don’t aspire to get power by hook or by crook method: Arvind Kejriwal
“Anna Ji used to say, politics is based on only one principle - ‘Satta’ through ‘Paisa’ and then ‘Paisa’ through ‘Satta’. Aam Aadmi Party is here to change this concept. Aam Aadmi Party has been made to work for the country and the society. Our purpose is not to get into power by hook or by crook. We are here for the people of this country and for their trust. When our party was very young, people used to say that the party would cease to exist in a couple of years. When we came into power in Delhi, back then people would say they had one term and their party would finish after that. But now that we have been successfully running a government in Delhi, people look at our work and say that we are the only hope they have left. AAP was formed with only one purpose - ‘Seva, Qurbani, Balidaan’,” he added.
AAP workers must always be ready to sacrifice all they have for this country: Arvind Kejriwal
Talking to the incoming Executive Council Members, Kejriwal said, “Remember to keep just one thing in mind. We are here to serve the society and the country; and if needed, always be ready to sacrifice all you have for this country”
Bhagat Singh, Babasaheb Ambedkar the ultimate ideals of AAP: Arvind Kejriwal
“There are many idols and freedom fighters we celebrate in this country. But I want to specifically talk about Babasaheb Ambedkar and Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. These two are the ‘Param Adarsh’ of the Aam Aadmi Party and we will follow the path they left behind for us in their legacy. On one hand, we have Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, who happily made the supreme sacrifice for this country. At an age of 23, kids think about their salaries and marriages today. Bhagat Singh Ji neither thought about his career or marriage. He thought about this country. He is who we consider our ‘Adarsh’. If he thought of what position he would hold when the country gets freedom, then we would have never been free. Each of our members, and our politicians, must always be ready to commit themselves to this nation even if it takes supreme sacrifice,” he added.
“Babasaheb Ambedkar spent his entire life struggling for the society. He is the prime example of what struggle is. He came from a very marginalised background, belonged to the Dalit society. Despite all kinds of hardships, he went abroad to study and got 2 doctorates in that era. He came back to write the constitution of this country. He is our ‘Adarsh’. Take inspiration from him and Shaheed-e-Azam to work for the country,” Kejriwal said.
Don’t ever be greedy for a position in the party; you won’t achieve anything by greed: Arvind Kejriwal
“I want to make it clear to everyone, when you join the Aam Aadmi Party, do not come here with the expectation of getting any position or getting a ticket for the elections. We have to work for the society and the country with complete dedication and honesty. We all have to work in our own areas to the best of our abilities. In this party, you should only be at peace when you are satisfied with your work, not because you have reached some position. Your work should be of such quality that the position comes to you and you don’t have to go to the position. If you come to us and say that you want a position or ticket, that means you aren’t worth what you want. You should work with such effort that we come to you and ask you to take a position or fight an election, that is what matters. There are so many people in our party whom we approached ourselves, and asked them to take a position or a ticket. One should not be greedy, greedy can not result in service and sacrifice. When someone takes something by crook, they remain crooks throughout their life. One must leave such desires and ambition, this won’t get anyone anything,” he said.
Don’t want people to say that we have become like Congress-BJP: Arvind Kejriwal
Kejriwal said, “I don’t want people to think of us and say that we have become like BJP or Congress. There’s no point in becoming like them. This is not why AAP was formed. If at any point in your life you think that you are feeling greedy for a position then there’s only one cure to that, double the amount of your service and get immersed into the feeling of seva. The more penance you do, the more humble you will become.”
Geeta says leaders of the society must maintain righteous demeanour: Arvind Kejriwal
“We see what transpires in other parties. Dozens of people fight for one seat, parties breakaway, factions are formed. We don’t want that to happen with our party. If something like that happens then the faith and trust stored in our party will cease to exist forever. It is said in the Geeta that everyone in the society looks up to its leader; the leader must maintain a very righteous demeanour; if the demeanour of the leader itself gets corrupted, then the society is headed for ruins. Today the entire country looks up to AAP. When someone talks of honesty, they think of AAP. When someone talks about education, they talk about Manish Sisodia Ji. If they talk about health, they talk about Mohalla Clinics. AAP is bringing forth new principles in this society, so please never let greed take over you. Don’t think about bagging a position, devote yourselves to society,” he added.
Nation building one of the prime purposes of forming the Aam Aadmi Party: Manish Sisodia
Senior AAP Leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, “The real mission behind establishing the Aam Aadmi Party was to work on the issues that have been systematically left behind or deliberately left undone, owing to various political reasons. Education, Health, and Employment are some of the most important dimensions, however, Nation Building is one of the prime purposes of the Aam Aadmi Party. We have made this party for the country. As much as we keep this in mind, the party will keep on growing in the long run.”
Must keep questioning ourselves, remember why we are here: Manish Sisodia
Manish Sisodia said, “I have just one request from everyone attending this meeting. A formal dialogue will definitely take place and decisions will be taken on their basis. However, we all must constantly keep the last 75 years in mind and the dreams of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Gandhi Ji, and others. Second, we must constantly keep in mind why the Aam Aadmi Party was formed. Why didn’t we all, who might have wanted to be in politics, join any of the existing parties? Why didn’t we join any of the existing and instead thought of establishing the Aam Aadmi Party? We must constantly ask ourselves this question. Then we will be able to contribute better to the Aam Aadmi Party and the country. Then we will be able to establish a strong tradition for the country.”
