I recently participated in a “TV Debate” on a news channel which conducts daily polls on Gujarat election issues, people and changing trends. The results of the survey conducted that day showed that 60% people consider the collapse of the Morbi bridge to be a major issue. Is affecting everyone’s psyche. Is our political elite in tune with this sentiment?
Just 24 hours after the Morbi accident, on October 31, a news channel was having a heated debate on this issue. During the debate, a Congress spokesperson claimed that the ruling party had not discharged its responsibilities well. In response, a spokesperson for the ruling party said that the Congress had insulted Sardar Patel. They forgot that Patel had died 72 years ago, while the Morbi bridge had collapsed just hours earlier.
Later, Prime Minister Modi visited Morbi to express his sympathies and lead the relief, inquiry and action efforts. Even as he was wiping people’s tears, the same boring tu-tu, main-main was being shown on TV networks. Even before independence, because of our leaders, we started shifting from truth to half-truths, but now the line between truth and lie has become blurred. Not only politicians, but people involved in discourse are also guilty of this. Meanwhile, BJP spokespersons started using sensitive language. Perhaps they were sure that they could minimize the damage by coming down hard on the perpetrators. First, the list of candidates didn’t surprise me. 38 sitting MLAs were denied tickets. Changing face is a well-known election strategy.
Along with this, the strategy of the party was also changed. Last week, Prime Minister Modi gave the slogan, “Aa Gujarat mein banavyu chhe”, (This Gujarat is built by me) and asked everyone in the audience to repeat it. This message has important political implications. It appears to be a slogan for the progress of Gujarat and the commitment of Gujaratis towards it, but it also means that Narendra Modi has played an essential role in the development of Gujarat for 22 years both as Chief Minister and Prime Minister.
On the other hand, the Congress party is talking at the grassroots level, while Arvind Kejriwal and his party men are very vocal. During a recent live interview, Kejriwal wrote a slip and handed it over to the anchor, predicting less than five seats for the Congress in Gujarat this time. With this, he said that his party has reached the second position and is now moving towards the top position. Kejriwal said that, according to some, he had the support of the ‘OTP’ – OBCs, Adivasis and Patels. He entered the election campaign promising a “new politics”. In less than 10 years, he created a record by winning thrice in Delhi and then in Punjab. His language and outlook changed dramatically during this period. Meanwhile, his cabinet minister and close confidante Satyendar Jain and his media advisor are jailed on corruption charges. Jailed “Mahatug” (super conman) Sukesh Chandrasekhar has been leveling various allegations against key AAP leaders and officials including Jain. Is this a new ploy by Mahathag or are the allegations true? Arvind KejriwalIn its response, it questioned the character of Mahathag, claiming that it was being done to divert attention from the fall of Morbi. Kejriwal is defending his deputy Manish Sisodia with almost equal ferocity.
I want to bring out the “2G spectrum scam”, which came to the fore just before the 2014 elections. This alleged scam was widely seen as the primary reason for the downfall of the Congress-led UPA and DMK at the national level. Government in Tamil Nadu. At that time, the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP, which are now at loggerheads over corruption, were simultaneously leveling several allegations against the then Communications Minister A Raja. The CBI had also imprisoned Dravid’s daughter Kanimozhi, Munnetra Kazhagam supremo M Karunanidhi, and Raja for months. The court later acquitted him for lack of evidence. Will those who blamed Raja, Kanimozhi and Congress apologize today?
Definitely not! Our politics has become dependent on allegations and counter-allegations. It tarnishes even the positive actions of the rulers. I think Modi or Mamta, Arvind either Yogi Adityanath, Shivraj or Naveen Patnaik, Nitish Kumar or KCR have won two or more consecutive elections, they must have done some excellent work for their people. Despite this, why can’t our politicians dare to contest elections only on the basis of their welfare works and contributions? This question has to be answered not by the politicians but by the voters. In some ways, voters have supported the politician’s misconduct.
Time has come to remind our politicians that we will vote on the basis of their work and principles and not on the basis of hatred or farce.
Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chief of Hindustan. Thoughts are personal.
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