Amid being chafed and irritated by the moves of a young boy dancing on the tunes of Dhool and Nagara on the Bhagat Singh’s martyr day, also the day Arvind Kejriwal started his non-cooperation movement against Delhi State Government in SundarNagari, I passed by countless people enthusiastic of the future prospects of India under the leadership of Mr. Kejriwal. The advent of AAM AADMI in me was among least probable provision until I met you. I glanced through the colorful green wall of your house and found people giving emotional nationalistic speeches and with songs of Bhagat Singh running high on loudspeakers in the background. The fervent heat of emotion merely communicated genial warmth, as I was oblivious of a movement which has gripped the masses.

The advent of AAM AADMI

Skeptical I, was about to lash with some of the best theories I have learnt coming from the giants of social science- Kant, Foucault, Antonio Gramsci and even Barthes to ridicule this social movement and the idea of revolution before I met you. Now you are no more with us- neither the smile nor the energy, nor even the sense of plurality. In between I was about to/before meet you that day and I will never be able to meet you again lies a story of transformation- a transformation of rigid theoretical man to a man of movement. I was about to meet you and finally I meet you in the early charms of a day when adrenaline of the masses was pumping nationalism and contrarily you were quietly busy addressing your guest in the background. In the tiny room with Mr. Kejriwal’s family, I clicked your photograph- and later was introduced by Jagdeep Singh (AAP candidate for Hari Nagar Constituency) as SANTOSH KOLI, an AAP member and a RTI activist.

Persuasive Eloquence

We talked a little about the movement and the people related to it. Reckoning my disarray you gave one liner- unless and until you participate in a movement as diversified as this, you will not be able to understand it forget about attaching values to it. Yes!! You were right; participation gives more nuanced information expressed in either affirmative or negative form. My observation out of participation was more in affirmative form. I owe a lot to your valuable words then simply to an aesthetic value of my observation. The times passed so fast, and I heard about your tragedy, and yet could not meet you once. Now you are no more with us but key question remains - is it the demise of all your plans and visions.

Your idea and vision: A motive to fight

I would say No - your idea and your energy will always be with us, and every passing day will make it stronger and stronger. The fight will continue with the corrupt political class and their goons who are somewhere responsible for your death. A so called car accident and hit and run driving case cannot belie the truth behind your death. The car driver is yet to be caught and punished for his action- a trembling evidence of incompetency and negligence. The System has gone so inhumane under this corrupt and incompetent city government that it has become impossible for Aam Aadmi to survive a single day. The vileness of the mainstream media, who once championed the cause of this movement, is now not even willing to publish passing news about your sad demise. It is unable to reprobate the current state of our politics and justice system, which is so deep rotten that I doubt it would ever be able to give you the justice.

Where is the civil society and women rights group making tall claims of protecting women’s rights? They have gone invisible, they too have become part of this hollow system, after all you were not a member of big political party, but just a member of small party which tends to take on this system. Your case will not provide them the right political platform to abuse a certain political class. This is season of politics and the political monsoon has retreated from an earlier commitment of violence free and just Delhi. They have forgotten the wind of changes you have brought in this society will always be with us giving impetus to our cause and fight. We will certainly not miss you because you will always be with us leading our movement as always. May your soul rest in peace Santosh