Giraj's Blogs

Our man AK, karma and theatre

Delhi post the elections

March 9, 2025

Dilliwalahs brought down the Aam Aadmi Party after it was at the helm of the city affairs for over a decade. A statement that most AAP supporters will refute while pointing fingers at the LG’s office. They have been crying hoarse that our man AK and his team weren’t allowed to function by the LG’s office. Nevertheless, the spirit of arguably the best CM Delhi has ever had, Mrs Shiela Dikshit, must be smiling from up there. It was our man AK who had defeated Mrs Dikshit in 2013. This time around the margin of AK’s defeat was less than the votes Mrs Dikshit’s son, Sandeep, polled. Karma at play, perhaps.

Different folks reacted differently to this fall from grace of our man AK. Water and nature conservationists were pleased that it was a jacuzzi in a water starved city that caused the mighty to fall. Grocery stores reduced stocks of brooms. Newspapers and FM Radio stations started to reduce and rationalise their revenue projections. Dilliwalahs reminisced about AK’s persistent cough, his WagonR, his muffler, his trip on the Delhi Metro for taking the oath, India Against Corruption, his flirtations with vipasana, etc. Folks such as Anna Hazare, Prashant Bhushan, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh and many more got back in spotlight with ‘I told you so’ claims. One thing, however, that pleased Dilliwalahs the most is the high probability of easy availability of their favourite liquor brands while our man AK keeps walking!

As AK’s protégé Ms Atishi vacated the CM’s office, Dilliwalahs wondered what happened to that chair that she kept vacant besides her for our man AK. Is the new CM, Ms Rekha Gupta, operating by sitting on the chair Ms Atishi sat on or has she parked herself on the one that was kept for our man AK? Need a sting operation here or maybe we will have to wait till that screaming, shouting anchor on Republic TV takes this up with his trade mark ‘the nation wants to know’ rant.

There is something about trees and the LG of Delhi. A few months ago a bench of the Supreme Court comprising of Justice Oka and Justice Bhuyan expressed strong disapproval of the LG’s action, or the lack of it, in felling of trees without taking prior permission of the court. The bench expressed its strong disapproval of LG’s role, even using expressions such as “non-application of mind” in the way he purportedly directed the felling of trees. Last week another ‘tree’ controversy came to haunt the LG again. Launching a bamboo plantation drive at Bhalswa landfill, LG was quoted in The Times of India as having announced that ‘54,000 trees will be planted in the reclaimed landfill area’. Dilliwalahs were quick to point out that scientifically speaking bamboo is not a tree but is grass. This blogger is weighing options on how to term this: ‘Bamboozled’ or ‘Grassed’?

StateOfDelhi Suggests: Get to Mandi House for the Mahindra Excellence In Theatre Awards and catch some of the most amazing plays at Kamani and Shri Ram Centre between 13^th to 20^th March. Here’s the link https://metawards.com/ And while you are at Mandi House you may try the Gol-gappas at Bengali Sweet House. They serve you two varieties – atta gol-gappas and suzi-gol-gappas. Good part is that they do not use the Delhi Jal Board’s water (too early to trust Ms Gupta yet!) and claim to be using mineral water. Go sample!

Comments

Tapas Sarkar says:

9 March, 2025 at 1:43 pm

Indeed Giraj, the wide spectrum through which you are able to relate from ‘AK’s exit to Bamboo as grass’ is immensely laudable.
I would prefer you to be more regular with your blogs. However, keep at it. It is always a joy to read your contemporary thoughts.

Warmly
Tapas

Reply
1. Neelanjana Banerjee says:
  
  10 March, 2025 at 7:51 am
  
  Totally agree. Each is a treat to read, and we would love to read more often.
  
  I noticed an increasingly filthy Delhi over the last few years. We all know the spiel about “not being allowed to work” but hey – we voted for you, so you figure out how to work, eh?
  
  A growing economy like ours deserves a world class city. A lot to do, and it better happen.
  
  Reply
Sanjeev says:

10 March, 2025 at 6:21 am

I hope the new government has a vision for Delhi, beyond tactical manoeuvring. There are critical problems to address.

I hear that India is bidding for Common Wealth Games 2030. Maybe, like in the past it is the games that bring the change. But this time the other city in contention is Ahmedabad. So the Delhi government will need to be very aggressive to win.

Reply