India could break apart if it doesn’t tackle corruption in its political system, the leader of its newest party has warned.
Arvind Kejriwal of the anti-corruption Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) told the BBC that politicians were to blame for India’s frequent communal riots.
The AAP has said it will fight the forthcoming general elections.
The party made a spectacular debut in recent Delhi elections and spent 49 days in power before Mr Kejriwal quit.
Mr Kejriwal resigned after an anti-corruption bill was blocked in the Delhi assembly.
He told the BBC’s Andrew North in an exclusive interview that it was corrupt politicians who were ultimately responsible for the country’s regular outbreaks of communal violence.
He said if corruption was not tackled the country would not survive – and millions of Indians would remain poor and illiterate.
“Indians are first class people suffering third class governance. If you go abroad, to America or to London, you will see Indians shining in their areas. But in their own country they are not allowed to prosper,” Mr Kejriwal said.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]”Indians are not allowed to prosper in their own country”[/su_pullquote]”My job is to change the governance system so India can shine.”
Mr Kejriwal said he didn’t want to be prime minister, but he declared himself an “anarchist on a mission to shake up the Indian system”.
Mr Kejriwal has attracted growing criticism for what’s seen as his populist, headline-grabbing style, says Andrew North.
Just six weeks after becoming Delhi’s chief minister he resigned, with many saying he simply used the position as a platform for the spring general elections.
