Slander Is Now Virtue
By Poonam I Kaushish
In this theekha-masaledar Lok Sabha electioneering season our netagan are reveling in neech under-the-belt vitriolic language, putrid entertainment swaying to the heady tinkle of money, cheap thrills and seetees, whereby the lines between a political opponent and sworn enemy have got blurred. In the hope this will bring them political tripti!
Nothing epitomizes this better than the brazen slanderous ongoing campaigning which has 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 time. With the devil taking the hindmost!
Everyone and everything has become game: From desh bhakts to desh drohis. For the Congress, confused about its support base, devoid of a vote plank and desperate about stopping BJP from returning to power, it has fallen back to its tried and tested formula — abuse and blatant casteism. For the Saffron Sangh it is a do-or-die battle for its ‘Gujju’ poster boy Prime Minister Modi to ensure he continues his 10-years rule.
All hell broke loose when Congress filed a complaint with Election Commission requesting action against Modi for misguiding people by stating “We planning to redistribute wealth and women’s mangalsutra to infiltrators read Muslims and calling our manifesto ‘Muslim League imprint.’ This is neither written in the Constitution nor mentioned in our manifesto anywhere.”
It accused its rival of distorting a leader’s remark on inheritance tax, with Modi trashing it as Opposition Party’s mantra to “loot” people “zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi.” Adding, “Modi talks so much. He says he has a 56-inch chest. What will we do with a 56-inch chest? Tell us what you did for stomach? What are you giving us for meals? Today, price rise is an issue worrying poor people.”
The BJP countered by accusing Congress “shehzada” Rahul Gandhi of persistently perpetuating a division between North and South India based on language and region, along-with planning religion-based reservation to appease Muslims for vote bank politics. Karnataka Congress Government has given part of OBC reservation to Muslims, it thundered.
It took potshots at Rahul saying he is “Moorkhon aur jhooton ka Sardar” who calls himself an “accidental Hindu”….. He does not have proper knowledge of India’s history and geography. Alongside falsely asserting increase in poverty in the nation and called on EC to take action against him. Rahul shot back “PM matlab Panauti Modi aur jebkatra.”
TMC’s Mamta calls Modi, “paapi” while NCP’s Sharad Pawar named him “shameless,” Shiv Sena- Uddhav Thackeray said a vote for Modi was a “vote for destruction”, BSP dubbed BJP-led NDA ”terrorist Government.” While a CPM leader said, “Was Rahul born into Nehru-Gandhi family? I have doubts … his DNA should be examined.” AIMM Owaisi took the cake, “Koi maee ka lal pedha nahi hua jo mujhe rok sake…Modi RSS ka peelu hai…. ishara kar diya toh dorana padhega.”
Obviously, the blame lies squarely with Parties whereby the EC’s Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has become the most potent missile in the arsenal of political rivals and jaani dushmans. With none caring a damn for its seven Dos and Don’ts about general conduct, meetings, processions, polling day, polling booth observers and Party in power.
Quick to complain, all shy from demanding the same discipline for crude and repulsive swipes at rivals. Every Party has raised allegations of causing hatred and division based on religion, caste, community or language. A helpless EC only expresses its “displeasure”, invoking Section 77 of the Representation of the People Act and holds Party Presidents responsible, as a first step to reign in star campaigners.
“Parties will have to take primary responsibility for conduct of their candidates, star campaigners in particular. Campaign speeches by those holding high positions are of more serious consequences,” said EC. Barring a warning or ban on electioneering for two-three days, the EC’s action against hate speeches totals a mere rap on the knuckles.
Big deal! 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 more vulgar the better, dil maange more!
After all, how would their art of double-speak succeed if preachers of morality were to start practicing it? Polls mean scoring brownie points against rivals, forget EC reading the riot act under MCC. Ends matter not the means.
Will this mud-raking stop? No. All are tarred by the same brush: Congress, BJP or X,Y,Z Party. Alas, none wants 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 power. Consequently, the idea of democracy has been vitiated.
Alas, it is not this election alone, the story is the same every election wherein EC is grappling with the same questions. And by the time it arrives at an answer, votes have been cast. So what happens to violations of the MCC? Zilch. They die a natural death.
It is simply stupid to lament about falling standards of morality in politics in these bad times. As India votes we must not allow ourselves to be taken for granted any more. We must demand statements which are unwarranted and unhealthy for our democracy not be used along-with insisting electoral reforms be implemented soon to make our democracy truly representative. Stop voting for shameless, self-serving netas who put a premium on immorality.
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