Ravi Dhaliwal
Gurdaspur, February 9
Modern day politics requires ruthlessness, ferocity and lots of lies. The reticent and restrained Raman Bahl of AAP fails to tick any of these boxes. Nevertheless, after a lot of dilly-dallying the man has now changed his mind. From being apolitical, he has decided to become political. He says one of the disadvantages of staying away from politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. And that is the last thing he wants.
“Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you. I have come to cleanse the system with a broom. A new broom sweeps clean. And an old one sweeps all the corners clean. I have both, so better watch out,” he quipped.
At precisely 10 am, he starts off from his home. By 8 pm, he has covered six to eight villages. This has been going on for the last two months. Once the rural areas are done with, he reaches out to urbanites in the evening.
From the next week, he will be visiting each and every one of the 29 municipal wards the city has. “I see corruption all around me. Like the municipal committee workers, better put politicians on minimum wage and then see how things change,” maintains Bahl.
He addresses gatherings at Langah, Mustafabad and Bakhatpur villages. “False FIRs have been registerd against many. You can see a sense of trepidation and fear among people particularly those living in the rural areas. Leaders have been promising the moon to the poor villagers but at the end of the day they get zilch. This time people, wizened by time, are going to vote for the change,” he said. Bahl, an upper caste Hindu, is banking on the Jat Sikh and the floating SC vote to pull him through.
Campaign Trail Gurdaspur: Raman Bahl's aim — Sweeping changes
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