Political Diary
New Delhi, 6 December 2022
Slander Is Now Virtue
MORE VULGAR THE BETTER!
By
Poonam I Kaushish
Rajnetik virodhi ya
jaani dushman? Tragically, the lines
between a political opponent and sworn enemy are blurred, epitomized by brazen
slander during recent campaigning for Gujarat and Himachal Assemblies which
trashed basic courtesies and decencies, ended camaraderie, bonhomie and respect
among healthy rivals. Underscoring, slander, sensation, smear, sully and smirch
are the new political dialogues and flavour of the season. With the devil
taking the hindmost!
Everyone and everything was game in Mahatma land. From desh bhakts to desh drohis. For the
Congress, confused about its support base, devoid of vote plank and desperate to
stop bête-noir BJP from returning to power, it fell back to tried and tested
formula --- abuse. For Saffron Sangh it’s a do-or-die battle for ‘Gujju’ poster boy Prime Minister Modi
to ensure it continues its 24 years rule since 1995.
All hell broke loose when Congress President Kharge said,
“Modi ji is PM… He keeps campaigning in corporation elections, MLA elections,
MP elections, everywhere… All the time he’s talking about himself – ‘You don’t
have to see anyone else, just look at Modi and vote’… Is Modi going to come and
work at the municipality? Is he going to help you in times of your needs. How
many times do we see your face? How many forms do you have? Do you have 100
heads like Ravan?”
Evoking a sharp reaction from BJP, which accused Kharge of
“insulting Gujarat’s son. From ‘Maut ka
Saudagar’ to ‘Ravan’, Congress
continues to insult Gujarat.” Referring to Sonia Gandhi’s comment during 2007
Gujarat election attacking Chief Minister Modi for the 2002 communal violence
in the State.
Countered Kharge, “Modiji claims to be poor. How is this
possible when he has served as Chief Minister for over 13 years and PM for 8
years? Imagine the plight of dalits and tribals? I’m one of the untouchables.
People drank your tea, nobody would’ve had my tea…How many times will you lie?
He’s the leader of lies.”
Ripping him for the audacious bare-all below-the-belt
attack, responded Modi, “He says he will show Modi his ‘aukat’, I am a common man let him show me my aukat. They hurl 2.5-3 kg abuses everyday…Modi will die dog's
death, Modi will die Hitler's death. Another said, if I get a chance, I'll kill
Modi myself...Someone says rakshash,
someone says cockroach... there is a competition who is most abusive and uses most
toxic slurs… Congress means corruption and selfish politics.”
Evoking sharp rejoinder, “You give 4 quintals of gaalis everyday, without which you are
unable to digest food.” Snapped another, “Modi is a terrorist…an unchanged
lunatic...He is cynical and criminal challenge to democracy…Gujarat is hub of
Hindu terrorists.” It doesn’t stop there. A defamation case is pending in Bombay
High Court for Rahul Gandhi’s “commander-in-thief remark over the 2018 Rafale
fighter jet deal.
Reminiscent of Congress
ex-MP Mani Shankar Aiyar calling PM, “Ye
aadmi bahut neech kisam ka aadmi hai. Is mein koi sabhyata nahi hai aur aise
mauke par is kisam ki gandi rajniti karne ki kya avashyakta hai.”
Look at Trinamool’s Mamata who
averred two years ago, “When Modi
comes to Bengal and says I am a top extortionist, I wish to give him one tight
slap of democracy." If this was not bad enough she went a step further,
“he is a liar …. A person drenched in blood….I will ask him to do 100 sit-ups
if corruption charges against my Party are proven wrong.” Countered NaMo, “I
advise Didi give a tight slap to your Party leaders who stole people’s money in
chit fund scam.”
The barbs
got uglier when Modi talked about ‘Trinamool’s Tolabaazi (organized
extortion racket) Tax’ enforced by Bhua Mamata and her bhatija. Shot
back Didi, “Woh ek badtameez nalayak beta hai who does
not care for his mother and wife.”
Worse, was RJD’s Rabri Devi who called Modi “A jallad (executioner) with a ‘khoonkhar maansikta” (vicious mindset).
Sic.
More.
Titillating voters has become common whereby anything and everything is game.
For the BJP, “Muslims can be identified by removing their clothes (reference to
circumcision) to Samajwadi’s “Jaya Prada
wears a khaki (RSS colour) underwear,” and insinuation linking Modi and
Mayawati’s single status to post-poll alliance between BJP and BSP. “Woh
teen baar Modi ki godh mein bathe chukeyi hai” while NCP’s Pawar dubs Modi
as “deranged who needs treatment in a mental hospital”. BJP retorts, “Pawar is so big he
can’t walk properly,” and Mayawati is a “prostitute,”
What’s new? Aren’t we accustomed to gutter-sniping and
vitriolic tu-tu-mein-mein between
political opponents and Parties? Isn’t it part and parcel of political
discourse. Of dirty linen being increasingly washed in public serenaded by
frenzied audiences seetees galore,
more vulgar the better, dil maange more!
Importantly, will this mud-raking stop? “No”. All are
tarred by same brush: Congress, BJP or X,Y,Z Party. If BJP is upset now, it too
has to accept its blame share. Remember, Modi had described Sonia as “Italian
mud will not stick on me. Sonia has hatred for Hindus. She speaks against
Hindus and chooses to remain silent when atrocities are committed against the
community.” Or senior BJP leader Advani calling ex-PM Manmohan Singh “nikamma” in 2009.
Alas,
none want to address critical questions: Why are politicians’ discourses
becoming more and more venomous and noxious? Can such language and conduct be
condoned? In Delhi the BJP stands accused of calling AAP’s Kejriwal “a dog” and
its woman candidate “a prostitute” alongside casteist slurs.
Frankly,
I am neither surprised as our netagan are only showing their girgit true
colours throwing all public decency and decorum to winds! Gone are the days
when jibes and trolls were funny, sarcastic and netas took them in their
strides.
Accentuating
bankruptcy that is manifest in our system wherein leaders have perfected the
art of cultivating low morality and high greed made more malignant by our
fragmented politics. Resulting in immorality becoming a way of life, what damn
difference does one more slanderous attack make?
Sadly, through this diatribe one thing emerges crystal
clear: political skullduggery indulged in mirrors the harsh and horrendous
reality of our polity. Where there is no dividing line between what is correct
and incorrect. A harsh reflection on the depth of political depravation we have
come to. A nouvelle vote-catching mantra in the hope that this cesspit sniping
would bring them tripti--- and power.
Consequently, the idea of democracy has been vitiated.
Clearly, it is time our politicians realize profligacy, immorality
cannot be the bedrock of democracy. Our polity needs to tone down divisive and
personal attacks, engage each other on issues affecting people and nation, not
personalities to put electioneering back on rails of dignified debate adopting zero-tolerance
stand on offensive language.
The aim: raise bar on public
discourse because if you point one slanderous finger at another, four other
slanderous fingers will point back at you! How long will we suffer the stampede
for sensation and slur? Can a nation be bare and bereft of all sense of shame
and morality? ---- INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature
Alliance)
|