Political Diary
New Delhi, 31 October 2015
Politics Of Threats
M0RALITY GOES TO
THE DOGS
By Poonam I Kaushish
Rajnetik virodhi ya
jaani dushman? Alas,
the lines between a political rival and a sworn enemy have got blurred wherein
hate speeches, trash talk and brazen innuendoes seem to be the flavour of Bihar’s election season. Spiced with the right caste and
communal combinations along-with each’s version of ‘killer’ entertainment: Threats
and coercion, swaying to the heady tinkle of money, cheap thrills and seetees. Dumping basic courtesies and
decencies, all take vitriolic delight in reveling in their baser
characteristics. Baring their dark truth: intolerance
bordering on venom and revenge!
The issue is not whether the BJP is able to beat the Lalu-Nitish
Grand Alliance at the numbers game, nor that both have sacrificed morality at
the altar of power. While the RJD Chief deprecates Modi as ‘Brahmpishach’ (demon) NaMo accuses Lalu of insulting “my people, Yaduvanshis” by saying Hindus too eat
beef.” And Nitish for practicing untouchability.
Warning that both were pursuing a “regressive agenda with 18th
century mindset” and Bihar would go back to Roj Jungleraj Ka Dar (RJD) as the GA was
not trustworthy and the Congress was “hawalabaazon
ki jamaat”. Counters Nitish by parodying Bollywood’s Three Idiots: “Bahti hawa sa tha who, Gujarat se aya tha
woh, kala dhan lane wala tha woh, kahan gaya
ushe dundho, hume desh ki fikra wo man ki baat sonata….videsh jata….selfie
leta.”
The torrents of acerbic remarks don’t end here. States a
menacing BJP President Amit Shah, “If the Party loses, fire crackers will go
off in Pakistan.”
Attacking the Congress, he chides, “What does Rahul Baba know about security…. You got your perspective from your
mother’s side of family.” Counters Sonia, “Modi reduced to unedifying
flip-flops ….nothing more than hawabaazi.”
Neither is the issue about the Election Commission (EC) asking
the Saffron Sangh to withdraw its ‘communal’ newspaper advertisements. “Daliton, pichado ki thali kheech
alpsankyakon ko aarakshan parosne ka shadayantra kya sushasan hai?” (There
is a conspiracy to snatch from the plate of Dalits and backwards and serve it
to minorities – is this governance? “Voton
ki kheti k liye aatank ki fasal seenchna kya sushshan hai?” (Is it
governance to sow seeds of terror to reap votes?)
Purely shock value? Scoring
brownie points? No. The issue goes beyond the parameters of public decency and
decorum, insidious threats or fear of losing the election. Instead, it portrays
that our netas can go to any extent
to emerge victorious with the devil taking the hindmost. No matter, that for
both NDA and GA the election is crucial. For Modi it is a referendum for his
policies and a do-or-die
battle for Nitish-Lalu.
Big deal if in the process they show their true-blue
opportunistic colours by
playing the tried-tested caste-communal card --- blatant minoritism vs brazen communalism in
the penultimate phase of electioneering. Wherein, everyone and everything is game from, from desh bhakts to desh drohis.
Clearly, the blame for this descent of political discourse
into the depth of political vulgarity lies squarely with Parties. Quick to
crack the whip and complain post haste to the EC they have shied away from
demanding the same discipline for such crude and repulsive swipes at rivals.
In one fell stroke all have trashed the Commission’s Moral
Code of Conduct. None cares a damn for its seven Dos and Don’ts about general
conduct, meetings, processions, polling day, polling booth observers and the
Party in power. After all, how would their art of double-speak succeed if the
preachers of morality were to start practicing it?
Sadly, the truth is that the Code is only a voluntary
compact arrived between the EC and Parties which has no statutory binding.
Thus, Parties and candidates continue to wantonly violate it and the watchdog can
only bar a candidate or Party official from canvassing, rap him on the knuckles
or summon him for an explanation, nothing more nothing less.
Once an apology is tendered, the matter rests,
notwithstanding the damage to social mores or resulting in communal
conflagration. Asserted an EC official, “The Code lacks legal sanction and is
intended to work as a moral policeman to ensure free and fair elections. We can
only freeze a Party’s election symbol or derecognize it as a national Party.” Bluntly,
one can merrily violate the Code wantonly and yet get elected to Parliament and
Assemblies.
Undeniably, increasing intolerance and rise of
fundamentalism is an obvious deterrent to serious political discourse.
Unfortunately, instead of asking rivals about what they bring to the table and
urgent questions about their vision about the State’s future all are falling
prey to poll exigencies.
Wherein, sanitized politicking has transcended gentlemanly nok-jhok and even personal
below-the-belt attacks to obscene and violent abuse instead of taking their
rivals head-on on real issues. After
all, how would their art of double-speak succeed if the preachers of morality
were to start practicing it?
All seem to have forgotten that traditionally, politics has
been an integral thread of the country’s social fabric whereby in yesteryears
political propaganda was all about spreading news and creating socio-political
awareness. Regrettably, gone are the days when India was held as a beacon of free
speech, opinion and tolerance.
Bringing things to such a pass whereby our polity is
completely disengaged with issues of national import and long term well-being.
Neither do they have the time for what is a real threat to our nation, be it
internal and external security, economic stagnation and policy paralysis,
corruption etc.
Questionably, in this all-pervasive decadence, interspersed
with growing cynicism is there nothing to cry a halt to this depravation? Not
really. Importantly, the time has come to convert the Code into a law with the
Commission having the power to take punitive actions.
On individual candidates who violate the Code, the EC could
impose monetary penalty, disqualify and in extreme countermand the election.
Unacceptable behaviour by a neta
should be adversely publicized with the Government and Parties publicly
reprimanding its candidate.
But first we have to give more teeth to the Commission.
Notwithstanding, that the Code might never become law as there are too many
political interests aligned against it. Our polity needs to remember the EC is
a Constitutional body and its strictures deserve to be treated with respect and
our leaders have a responsibility to conform to the letter and spirit of the
Model Code.
At the end of the day, people occupying responsible posts
should speak responsibly. Our leaders need to tone down the divisive and
personal attacks and take on each other on matters of consequence vis-à-vis their constituencies and State.
We need to stop voting for the shameless, self-serving netas who are pushing the country increasingly towards a feudal
democracy interspersed with more and more of communalism and casteism. Leaving India
dangerously communal, but Parties and their leaders hypocritically secular!
What gives? ----- INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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