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 18^th 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)