Political Diary

New Delhi, 19 April 2014

Politics Of Threats

IDEAS MORE DANGEROUS THAN GUNS

By Poonam I Kaushish

In this theekha-dhoondhar no-holds barred ongoing electioneering season our netagan seem to have taken loads of tips from Bollywood’s iconic character Gabbar Singh in Sholay. Thereby, producing their own version of ‘killer’ entertainment: Threats, coercion, fear and terror. Spiced with the right caste and communal combinations. Swaying to the heady tinkle of money, cheap thrills and seetees. Underscoring that ideas are more dangerous than guns!

Indeed, for the first time our polity has bared the dark truth, bullying with all their hearts and souls showcasing increasing intolerance bordering on venom and revenge.  All wily nily practising the go-for tactic, as they attempt to quash their opponents through warning of violence and rhetorical intimidation on issues and life. 

First, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister NCP leader Ajit Pawar aka Maratha supremo Sharad Pawar’s nephew reportedly threatened to deprive a village of water if it didn't vote for his cousin Supriya Sule, Sharad’s daughter. He knew where the shoe pinched as water shortage is a major problem in the village and several others in the region. Resulting in the Election Commission ordering a probe in to this incident following a complaint filed by his rival AAP's Baramati candidate.

True, this is not surprising as Ajit Pawar is no stranger to controversy. Recall, last year he had stirred protests for telling farmers agitating against inadequate water in a dam, “If there's no water in the dam should I urinate into it?”

Next, Samajwadi supremo Mian Mulayam threatened Government school teachers in Bulandshahr to either vote for his Party or risk losing their jobs. “As far as shiksha mitras (ad hoc Government teachers) are concerned, we have made them permanent... now give your vote. If you do not vote, we'll withdraw it,” he averred. Predictably, even as he was slapped with a show-cause notice for prima facie violating the model code of conduct by the EC, he continues his diatribe of intimidation.

The torrent of vitriolic remarks doesn’t end here. National Conference Chief and Union Cabinet Minister Farooq Abdullah threatened his Party's arch rivals Mufti’s PDP. Addressing the media post a youth convention in Srinagar, he held the PDP responsible for the killing of NC workers in south Kashmir. Adding for good measure, “I wish I had the authority and power and these people (militants) ... I would have carried out hundreds of attacks on them (PDP) but I do not have that power, I do not have these militants…. the PDP deserves to be taught a lesson.” Sic.

If this wasn't enough, the UP police lodged an FIR against a Congress worker caught on camera telling Priyanka Gandhi that he would eliminate AAP's Lok Sabha candidate Kumar Vishwas for speaking against Rahul Gandhi. “Vishwas Rahul bhaiya ke khilaaf bol raha hai. Main usko goli maar dunga. The video shows Priyanka saying, “No, no, don't talk like that. Come and meet me later at the Munshiganj guesthouse.” Matters didn’t end there. Adding fuel, Vishwas stated he anticipated a threat to his life.

Topped by, a BJP candidate in Jharkhand asserting, “Those who want to stop Modi from becoming Prime Minister… will have no place in India. They will only have place in Pakistan,”

Purely shock value? Scoring brownie points? Not at all. Clearly, 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. Big deal if in the process they show their true-blue opportunistic colours in the penultimate phase of electioneering.

In one fell stroke all have trashed the Election Commission’s Moral Code of Conduct clause that asserts: A Party in power, whether at the Centre or States concerned, shall ensure that no cause is given for any complaint that it used its official position for the purpose of its election campaign.”

Sadly, the truth is Parties and candidates continue to wantonly violate the Code as the Commission is powerless. It 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 there, notwithstanding that the damage to social more or resulting in communal conflagration.  

Asserted a senior 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. In other words one can merrily violate the Code wantonly and yet get elected to the Lok Sabha and Assemblies.

Pertinently, the Left held the sole rights for bullying till Maharashtra regional war lord Shiv Sena’s ‘Tiger’ Bal Thackeray fine-tuned this into politics of threats and dadagiri. Gossip goes the State would quiver when the Tiger roared! Today, the Sena’s off shoot Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has perfected this politics of intimidation. 

Recall in February 2008, MNS workers violently clashed with Samajwadi Party workers in Mumbai over influx of workers from UP and Bihar.  Defending his stand, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray explained the attacks as a reaction to the “provocative and unnecessary show of strength by migrants and their leaders” on the fallacious premise they had spoilt Maharashtrian culture. Marathi manoos

Undeniable, increasing intolerance and rise of fundamentalism has been 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 India’s future all are falling prey to the exigencies of polls.

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?

Forgetting 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.NRegrettably, 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 Indian political class is completely disengaged with issues of national import and long term national well-being. Neither do they have the time for what is a real threat to our nation State, be it internal and external security, economic stagnation and policy paralysis, corruption et al.

Questionably, in this all pervasive decadence, interspersed with growing public distaste, cynicism and despair is there nothing to cry a halt to this depravation? Not really. At the end of the day, our leaders need to tone down the divisive and personal attacks that they indulge in and take on each other on matters of consequence vis-à-vis their constituencies and the nation. Those who reduce the level of discourse to such depths only do so at the cost of exposing their lack of civility to the electorate and the nation at large. Leaving India dangerously intolerant and violence-prone, but the political Parties and their leaders hypocritically peace-loving! What gives? ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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