Social activist Arvind Kejriwal's argument that 'Anna Hazare is above Parliament as every citizen is above it' misrepresents the principle of popular sovereignty.
The collective will of the people of India is manifested in the Constitution, through which the organs of the state derive their powers. Parliament is, therefore, subject to the collective will of the citizens of India, and not an individual, as Mr Kejriwal is claiming.
True, elected representatives have often failed to carry out their responsibilities effectively, and every citizen has the right to criticise them. But placing an unelected individual above the highest body of people's representatives is a recipe for dictatorship.
Moreover, even if we accept Mr Kejriwal's viewpoint, the actions of his supporters speak poorly of his commitment to the sovereignty of the people. This is evident from the fact that a man was beaten up for asking him a few uncomfortable questions during a rally in Hisar. Surely, Mr Kejriwal - who has championed the cause of accountability - can't be employing a different yardstick for himself.
Unfortunately, it appears that the activist is making extreme statements invoking 'the will of the people' only to play to the gallery, and that he is about as intolerant to criticism, as allegedly the government he has been fighting against.
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