From Debate to Defamation: The Decline of Political Discourse

There is no place for abuse in politics because through this the common people fight for their rights in democracy. This fight is completely based on ideology, so whenever the level of language in politics comes down to abuse, it is considered a proof of ideological hollowness. Ideological hollowness is also considered in politics when personal criticism starts instead of policy principles. Famous socialist thinker Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia used to say that when ideological hollowness starts in politics, personal criticism starts and it reaches character assassination. But in India, the level of politics has been continuously falling for the last two decades, for which both the ruling party and the opposition are responsible. The way Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was abused during the Voter Rights Yatra in Bihar recently, should be condemned by every party in every situation. The question is not that this abuse was given by a deranged person, but the real question is that this abuse was given from the platform of Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal. The question is not that Congress leader Mr. Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Mr. Tejaswi Yadav were not present on the stage at that time and their meeting had ended, rather the question is that the person who abused the Prime Minister used the stage of these two leaders. Therefore, it is a very natural question that the organizer of the meeting should take responsibility for this. Congress argues that in Darbhanga city of Bihar, where this incident took place, a Congress worker who was the organizer of the meeting, has apologized for the incident, after which the controversy should have ended, but if the top leadership of Congress and RJD also expresses sorrow for the incident, then it will not diminish its stature. Congress is the party of Mahatma Gandhi and its legacy is very vast and dignified. Mahatma Gandhi withdrew his non-cooperation movement in 1920 because a violent incident took place in Chauri-Chaura and the agitators set the police station on fire. Seeing violence in his movement, the Father of the Nation announced the withdrawal of the movement. Therefore, the Congress party should have reacted to the Darbhanga case only after thinking seriously and deeply. The Congress and RJD's yatra was being undertaken for the rights of the common people, so both these parties should have taken care of the interests of the common people. After the anomaly of abuse during this yatra, the seriousness of the issue should have been considered and they should have thought that they are competing with the BJP party which is known to be an expert in capitalising on such issues in its favour.

The point to be considered is that in independent India, BJP's politics is completely based on the shortcomings of Congress party. The main part of its ideological aspect has been criticism of Congress, therefore, after coming in opposition, Congress will have to be very cautious at every step and show the people of the country that its politics is not based only on criticism of BJP but it is a party which follows its own original ideology. There is enough space for sarcasm and humour in politics but there is not even the slightest space for impurity like abuse. Its late leader Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is considered to have a special place in establishing BJP among the people. In 1969, when late Vajpayee had just become the President of Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJP), at that time the third five year plan was hanging in balance. The reason for this was that India fought with China in 1962 and with Pakistan in 1965. Due to both these wars, the third five year plan remained incomplete, so late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee said in a public meeting that 'when we ask the government what happened to the five year plan, they say that it is in labour. When we say that take it out soon, they say that it is painful'.

This statement of Shri Vajpayee was taken very seriously by the leader of the then opposition Swatantra Party, late Piloo Modi and he said that Shri Vajpayee should take back his words because he has ridiculed the labour pain of a woman. Vajpayee had also expressed sorrow over this. So, this has been the tradition of Indian politics. It is not that till two decades ago, politics was completely clean. Even before this, the parties sitting in the opposition used to criticise the ruling party fiercely, especially the Jan Sangh Party did not let go of any opportunity and would even resort to personal criticism, but there was definitely a sense of public shame in it. The biggest matter of concern today is that public shame is vanishing from politics whereas it is considered the jewel of democracy. It is not only the responsibility of the opposition to maintain public honour, but it is also the responsibility of the ruling party to ensure that all its work is within this limit. Dr. Lohia also used to say that democracy can run only with public honour because as soon as it ends, political animosity takes the form of hatred.