AAP's Javed Jaffrey slams Congress, BJP over corruption

Lucknow: Actor Javed Jaffrey, AAP candidate from Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, today took a swipe at Congress and BJP, saying his party may have erred by plunging into national politics in haste, but it did not commit mistakes of indulging in corruption or bloodshed in the name of religion.

On being asked whether Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) entered national politics in haste, Jaffrey told PTI, “Let’s consider that we have made a mistake, but we have not made the mistake of corruption or bloodshed in the name of caste and religion.”

Batting for his party chief Arvind Kejriwal, Jaffrey said he was a ray of hope in the polluted politics and he did not cheat people by quitting as Delhi Chief Minister.

“Kejriwal is being accused by the opposition parties of deserting the people of Delhi, but in reality he supported them,” Jaffrey told PTI.

He said Kejriwal promised to get the Janlokpal Bill passed and he made an honest attempt in the Vidhan Sabha, but due to the restriction of approval from Lok Sabha, he could not get it passed.

“During his tenure as the Delhi Chief Minister, Kejriwal fulfilled several promises on the issues of power and water. But when he could not get the Janlokpal Bill passed, to take the struggle to the entire country, he left the seat and decided to take a plunge in the Lok Sabha elections,” he said.

“I don’t feel that Kejriwal cheated the people of Delhi. He is trying to take the struggle for Lokpal to its logical end. In my view, Kejriwal is the ray of hope in polluted politics of the country. We all should support him,” he said.

On being asked if being a celebrity, he was facing difficulties in connecting with the ‘aam aadmi’ (common man), Jaffrey said, “A person becomes special or common by his mentality. In this way, I am an ‘aam aadmi’. I didn’t spend my childhood in leisure. Later when Allah gave me money, I bought a vehicle and house.”

Jaffrey said today the youth wanted change in the administrative system, but for that, they would have to enter it. He said he too wanted change, and considering the power of a common man, he decided to become a candidate.

On a question on why he selected Lucknow, the actor said “Initially, I was about to contest from Bandra seat in Mumbai. But since Priya Dutt is also contesting from there, and I have very good relations with the Dutt family, I selected Lucknow which is close to my heart.”

Jaffrey said the problem of the common man in Mumbai and Lucknow were the same, so work could be done anywhere.

PTI