Recent developments have created an unprecedented political situation in Delhi. One need not reiterate the startling events that have paralyzed the Capital’s administration. These have already received wide publicity.

A Chief Minister sits in dharna outside the central government’s offices with thousands of activists from neighbouring Haryana blocking roads to create Delhi’s worst traffic jam, five metro stations closed down, office goers left stranded, central ministers unable to reach their offices, a scheduled cabinet meeting canceled because of disruption, are only some of the consequences of the protest. This event was preceded by equally bizarre developments. The Delhi Law Minister took the law into his own hands in the pursuit of justice and ordered the police over which he has no jurisdiction to raid foreign nationals by violating all procedures. His followers took the law into their own hands and raided the foreign nationals, apprehended them and forced them to undertake examination in a hospital.

A Court ordered the police to file an FIR against the mob led by the Minister. The Ministry of External Affairs is left red faced while dealing with the government of the foreign nation concerned. The Chief Minister instead of acting against his errant Minister is not only justifying him but joining him by staging his public protest against the central government demanding that the police officers concerned be dismissed.

What does the Aam Admi Party (AAP) hope to achieve?

It would seem that Chief Minister Mr. Arvind Kejriwal wants his government to be dismissed. To dispel any doubts about his intentions he defiantly stated: “If people call me an anarchist, then I am an anarchist!”

Why does he want his government to be dismissed?

According to media speculation and opinion polls he would through his government’s dismissal win votes of the majority underclass in the 2014 general election. It is assumed that for the masses fed on Bollywood movies his histrionics would be perceived as steps for a bloodless revolution. However there might well be a deeper and covert reason for the AAP government to seek dismissal. Mr. Kejriwal is committed to take official steps against the alleged corruption of the Sheila Dikshit government in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam. If his government is dismissed now that will not be possible. His rhetoric would continue but being out of government any meaningful action would be precluded. Mr. Kejriwal’s close relationship formerly with Mrs. Dikshit’s son, East Delhi MP Mr. Sundeep Dikshit, is well known.

Mr. Kejriwal has done everything required for his government to be dismissed.

Article 356 of the Constitution states: “If the President, on receipt of a report from the Governor or otherwise, is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, the President may by proclamation…” impose President’s Rule and place the State under the Union government’s jurisdiction. Have there not occurred enough events to convince the President, the Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi and the UPA cabinet at the centre that the rule of law has broken down because of the State government’s actions in Delhi? And yet, the Delhi government is not dismissed! If Mr. Kejriwal is indeed seeking dismissal of his government he should know that it requires two hands to clap. For some curious reason the Congress hand is not responding.

If the AAP government has its own private calculations, the UPA government might have its own calculations too. Could it be that a section of the Congress would actually welcome legal action against the Sheila Dikshit government for being complicit in the CWG scam? According to media reports Mr. Rahul Gandhi is credited with the view that the AAP government should not be toppled but be allowed to continue and expose its shortcomings.

Recently Union Finance Minister Mr. P Chidambaram indicated that the Congress was divided over extending support to the AAP government. The decision of the Delhi unit prevailed. He said: “Kejriwal has made hundreds of allegations against hundreds of people. If the Delhi government has material to take action against anyone… they should simply take action.” He added that Mrs. Sheila Dikshit had welcomed any action. “So why constantly harp in it. If there is material, take action.”

Neither has the Delhi government taken any action up till now, nor has the Union government taken any steps to dismiss the Delhi government. It is for readers to judge whether this two sided paralysis is the result of shocking incompetence, or of Byzantine intrigue among our politicians. In either case Indian democracy is being decimated and the nation being made a laughing stock before the world.