Quotes from Atishi

I was working as a volunteer in a village, 25 km. from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, in 2012 when India Against Corruption movement started. I had realized that change needs to come from top downward, so I decided to join the movement as a volunteer and started policy research for the same.

The silent voter, interestingly, has always been the voter for AAP.

My actual surname is Singh, and I come from a Punjabi Rajput family. Had I wanted to appease voters, then I would have gladly used my real surname.

Why does 80 per cent of East Delhi live in unauthorised colonies. No one wants to live in unauthorised colonies due to issues of sanitary and hygiene... people stay in unauthorised colonies because they have no other choice, and that really needs to be changed.

I think people would say we have seen consequences of voting for Modi: nothing changed in our lives. Our children still don't have education. They don't have jobs. Women are still not safe.

People should not be voting based on caste, religion, money, or liquor but real issues that affect their lives.

We are against politics of religion and caste.

I do not want to waste time in proving my identity to people.

We intend to follow one strategy: that is to reach out to each and every resident in the constituency. We do not believe in just waving to the people from cars.

Ever since I took the plunge into active politics, I faced a fair amount of attacks and criticism from political rivals, and I had learnt to take it with a pinch of salt.

Political parties usually accept funding from large industrialists and are then obliged to bow down to the demands of these individuals. When the government is funded by people's money, it will work for the people.

Although BJP and Congress are two sides of same coin, BJP is far more communal. Since BJP came to power, there is an atmosphere of hatred, and there is a takeover of the democratic institutions.

Politics is far more complex and difficult than other professions, as it involves takeover of your own personal life.

Anyone who sends their children now to government schools usually does it because they can't afford private education. I went to a government college where 350 out of 400 girls said their brothers go to private schools.

No country which is now developed has done so without providing high quality public education.

Just and equal society could be made by drastically improving the condition of India's public schools.

Election funding is one of the biggest fault lines in our electoral system.

My parents believed in the ideology of the Left. And being influenced by Marxism and Leninism theories, they chose Marlena as my second name.

Non-violent protests have reached a plateau. There is no other way but to get into politics to make your voice heard.

Only when we recognise our privilege, we will be able to make a change for others.

Politics also reflects the fault lines in our society, and the fact is that it is not very easy for any marginalised group to come forward in any domain.

I belong to a Punjabi Hindu family.

Education and health are among our top priorities.

Everyone knows Gautam Gambhir is a star who is going to be in Bombay, London, and Johannesburg. He is not going to be available to attend to people of his constituency.