All opposition parties in favour of AAP-Cong alliance: Sanjay Singh
Starting from clearing the cloud on the alliance issue of AAP and Congress to the topics of corruption and Anna andolan, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh talks exclusively to Sayantan Ghosh.
Despite the announcement of candidates in all the 7 seats why there is still news of alliance talks with Congress?
The party is all prepared to fight this election alone and in Delhi, we are the first party to announce all the candidates. Congress is in a confused state and we see there is a lack of communication between the state unit and the central unit as every day multiple statements they are making. As far as the talks are concerned, AAP is a part of the grand alliance which has parties like TMC, TDP, NCP and others, the opposition parties want an alliance between AAP and Congress. As a party, we are maintaining our stand of going alone if anything changes then the party will inform.
In this Lok Sabha how important it is to have a grand alliance because at many states there is no such alliance?
I think in this election a grand alliance of all the opposition parties is very important because we are fighting against a party led by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah who want to change the whole democratic process if they come back to power. Every institution of our country is under threat, Muslims are under threat, Dalits are not safe in this country and only a united opposition can defeat this power. In this situation, I think Congress should show a big heart and co-operate with the regional parties to make pre-poll alliances. The Congress party is not doing that in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and in many other states which will not help the country.
AAP came to existence through the anti-corruption movement but now the alliance you are talking about there are various parties and leaders who are facing corruption charges, how can the AAP compromises in the question of corruption?
The parties who all are there in the alliance are the political parties elected by the people. We did not join them to do corruption but the save the democracy. We need to understand that we are fighting against a party which is dividing us in the name of religion and caste. We are fighting against a
party which tells you what to wear, what to eat, where to go, whom to love and these
ideas are not acceptable. We are fighting a party which is dividing the country in the
name cow and also giving certificates of nationalism. We do not want to bend down to an ideology which killed Mahatma Gandhi and that's why all these like-minded parties are together.
When you talk about the killing of Mahatma Gandhi and the ideology behind that, then the question will arise as in the anti-corruption movement from where the AAP originated, a huge number of right-wing ideologues and right-wing organisations supported that movement. Why did you not realise these dangers then?
The anti-corruption movement was a people's movement led by social activist Anna Hazare and we all were part of that movement. As members of that movement, we approached all the political parties across the spectrum and urged them to pass the law. A people's movement cannot differentiate between parties or thoughts because the fight was for much bigger issues. But when the AAP was formed, from day one we have maintained distance from BJP and like-minded ideologies. From day one, we are fighting the communal forces and the forces which want to divide our country.
The party is fighting with the demand of full-statehood, do you think that in an all India aspect this issue can become a major one? What is the reaction of the opposition parties on this?
The demand for full statehood has a national approach because it is not a new issue. BJP and Congress promised the same but betrayed and we will bring this. The opposition parties are with us on the issue and in the coming days, it would become a major issue.
