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Primo.Qxd (Page 1) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2013 (PAGE 7) AAM CM Kejriwal, a mascot President pays rich tributes of unconventional politics to Shivaji, recalls his era NEW DELHI, Dec 28: THANE, Dec 28: Emerging as a mascot of an alternative brand of politics, engi- neer-turned civil servant Arvind Kejriwal has changed the political President Pranab Mukherjee discourse to steer his AAP to power--a sweet revenge for the today paid rich tributes to activist's fledgling party that was once branded as "mango people in Shivaji and said the great a banana republic". Maratha warrior achieved suc- Leading from the front, the 45-year-old leader of Aam Aadmi cess in life without any formal Party(AAP) anchored his campaign in an unconventional way to see education or training in state- it become the second largest party in Delhi Assembly elections with craft. a stunning showing that halted the 15-year rule of Congress. It was sheer dedication of his With interests of the common man at the core of AAP's agenda, people and importance Shivaji Kejriwal's triumph over three-time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to gave to them that made him so Congress President Sonia Gandhi meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other lead- become her successor today was the proverbial icing on the cake to popular a ruler in the medieval ers on the occasion of foundation day of Indian National Congress at AICC headquarters in New earn him the tag of 'giant killer'. India, Mukherjee said after inau- Delhi on Saturday. (UNI) The country's newest star on the political horizon, who tasted gurating a full-size statue of the President Pranab Mukherjee unveiling the statue of success at his very first outing at the hustings, was handed his most 17th century warrior at Kalwa Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Thane in Maharashtra on memorable nickname in an outburst by Congress chief Sonia here. The statue has been Saturday. (UNI) Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra earlier this year when AAP was Sonia hints at reconsideration of installed under an initiative came under British rule. er Jijabai, Sant Tukaram and dubbed as "mango people in a banana republic". taken by NCP leader and local "Had we listened and fol- guru Ramdas - and their teach- Often called the anti-corruption man, the diminutive and bespec- MLA Jitendra Awhad. tacled IITian and a former tax official has catapulted himself from lowed his teachings, we would ings had a huge impact on him. "In the past, the teachings of one of the many proponents of an ombudsman to check graft to the Maha Govt decision on Adarsh have not suffered," Mukherjee Shivaji had no formal educa- Shivaji and systems put in place force behind a widely popular people's movement. NEW DELHI, Dec 28: lations" of statutory provisions the UPA Government has said. tion or training but excelled in by him were ignored. Hence, our A renowned activist, who was dismissed as a political greenhorn, in the Adarsh Housing. already ensured passage of the In his speech, the President his rule just by winning the country went into the hands of cemented his place in politics with an impressive political debut for Congress President Sonia Rahul Gandhi yesterday dis- Lokpal bill and is committed to traced the life history of Shivaji hearts and minds of his people, East India Company and later his one-year-old AAP that challenged the political establishment. Gandhi today indicated that the approved of the Maharashtra check corruption. and said three people - his moth- Mukherjee said. (PTI) Maharashtra Government Kejriwal has thrown the rule book of Indian politics out of the Government's decision to reject About yesterday's press con- would reconsider its decision to window with his anti-corruption party that began as a social move- the report, saying "Personally, I ference by Rahul Gandhi, she reject a judicial commission's ment, tapping into the new energies fizzing all over India--students, don't agree with that decision. said, "I think the point has been report on Adarsh housing scam, farmers, civil rights groups, NGOs, social activists, women’s groups They (Maharashtra) should missed of yesterday's meeting. and the urban youth. a day after Rahul Gandhi ticked off the State Government over reconsider that". Yesterday's meeting was on Born on August 16, 1968 in Hisar in Haryana to Gobind Ram His remarks at a press con- Lokayukta and inflation and the Kejriwal and Gita Devi, Arvind sent the entire political spectrum the issue. Gandhi, whose party has ference at the AICC came in discussion during the meeting into a tizzy, attacking both BJP and Congress on the issues of cor- presence of Maharashtra Chief centred around how the Chief ruption, exorbitant rise in power and water tariff, safety of women been under constant spotlight over corruption issues, said the Minister Prithviraj Chavan. Ministers could act, what legis- and had managed to make a dent in the vote banks of both the par- Sonia Gandhi, while talking lation and action they can take ties. media was free to point out at a function here on the occa- to fight corruption and infla- Belying all claims of being a "non-actor or no factor" in the "mistakes" of her party's sion of party's foundation day, tion." Delhi Assembly elections by Congress and BJP, Kejriwal, a man of Governments but it should look simple tastes, came into prominence from the agitation by 75-year- at corruption in states run by responded to questions on Her remarks to the media old activist Anna Hazare in support of Jan Lokpal Bill in 2011. other parties as well.. Adarsh and alleged double came after she hoisted the party Soft-spoken but a man with strong conviction, the Ramon "That has been decided yes- speak on corruption. flag at the party headquarters on Magsaysay award winner was part of the Team Anna, along with terday and I think it is going to "I would ask the media to the foundation Day of Congress, first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan and others. be resolved," she said in reply to please look at other states led by which she described as a "very He was the civil society representative member of the committee a question about Adarsh scam other parties also, something auspicious day for us". constituted by the Government to draft the Jan Lokpal bill, follow- report which was rejected by the about corruption..Among their Prime Minister Manmohan ing the campaign for introduction of such legislation. Maharashtra Cabinet. (other parties') own friends and Singh and all other senior After feeling "betrayed" by the Government when it rejected The report of the two-mem- particularly among some of Congress leaders were present their draft, Congress and other leaders challenged them to join poli- ber commission headed by their ministers," she said. at the function held at the AICC tics, win elections and come to Parliament if they wanted to "fight retired High Court judge J A "Look at us by all means and headquarters. system from within", root out corruption and get the Jan Lokpal Bill Patil has indicted several politi- point out our mistakes but look Gandhi and Singh distrib- passed. cians including three former at others also," the Congress uted sweets among children. Known for taking on challenges, the indefatigable activist decid- Chief Ministers for "blatant vio- President said while noting that (PTI) ed to take a plunge into politics and formed "Aam Aadmi Party" on November 26 last year, after a formal split of Team Anna. The party name — Aam Aadmi Party — reflects the phrase Aam Aadmi or "common man", whose interests Kejriwal proposed to rep- UGC should urgently look resent and got its poll symbol "broom" in July this year. A bright academic, Kejriwal passed out as a Mechanical Engineering graduate from IIT Kharagpur. He joined Tata Steel in 1989 and after working for three years, into faculty crunch: PM he resigned in 1992 to take up the Union Public Service Commission NEW DELHI, Dec 28: though its contribution to higher examination which he cleared to become an Indian Revenue education has been widely Service(IRS) officer. With faculty crunch impact- acknowledged over the last 60 Being in Government service, Kejriwal was active in taking up ing the quality of higher educa- years, "the best is yet to come". social cause and worked for implementation of Right to Information tion in the country, Prime In the coming years, he said, Act(RTI) at grass root level. Minister Manmohan Singh today His efforts in the enactment of the RTI Act to empower the poor- said the UGC and other stake- the country needs to increasingly est citizens of India won him the Ramon Magsaysay Award for holders should "urgently consid- focus on employability along Emergent Leadership in 2006. er" the issue and find innovative with three other Es such as In February 2006, after resigning as Joint Commissioner in the methods of resolving it. expansion, excellence and equity Income Tax Department he became a full-time activist and started an The Prime Minister also as the Government was commit- NGO, Public Cause Research Foundation, with his award money as noted that premier institutions of ted to carry forward the work of a corpus fund. the country do not figure among strengthening the higher educa- A strict vegetarian who prefers home-made food, Kejriwal is the best in the world and that tion system with "even greater married to Sunita, who is also an IRS officer and his batchmate from quality in general remains a energy and sense of purposeful- National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie.
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