Music composer Vishal Dadlani is campaigning for the Aam Aadmi Party for the past one month. His association with Arvind Kejriwal and his team dates back to their India Against Corruption days. The Hindu caught up with him between his scheduled performances on Wednesday.
You have been campaigning for a while and have been vocal on several issues on twitter as well as other platforms. Do you see a bigger political role for yourself in the coming days?
There is no bigger role in democracy than that of a citizen. By associating myself with the AAP I am fulfilling just that. Now, I aim to make India a corruption-free country and the AAP provides me a hope and an avenue to achieve that goal.
Many left the AAP after its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha election. Did you ever have doubtsabout the party?
I never viewed the general election results as a failure. Over a crore people across the country reposed their faith on us. People sent four of our candidates to Parliament in the first attempt, which I don’t think is a bad performance.
What are the perils for artists making their political allegiance public?
You get trolled on the Internet a lot. But much of the negative comments directed at me or the party are not coming from genuine users but instead there is a hired team of political opponents who do that.
What makes AAP different from other parties?
I am with the party because its leaders do not work for personal gains, while those in other parties do. There is an impression being created that the AAP is not business friendly, which is not the case. We are all for people making profits in a fair and ethical manner. But that doesn’t mean we are going to support moves like predatory pricing.
What is the single biggest issue in Delhi elections according to you?
Women safety is something which cannot wait any further. I am of the opinion that women do not need protection. What they need is empowerment and that belief was instilled in me by strong women in my life, which includes my mother and my wife.
