ThePrint asks:
Has Gujarat election shown that civility has disappeared from language of politics?
People who are in my age group, between 55 to 60 years, will know and relate with the fact that elections have always had an element of vitriolic language. In 1971, Indira Gandhi’s party had released a full-page advertisement categorising the opposition as crabs and parasites out to devour India. Only Indira-ji could be the voters’ saviour, they claimed. So, saying that Gujarat is the lowest level we have fallen to in terms of public discourse is nothing but sheer romanticisation of the past.
Since 2002, Modiji has been abused in the worst ways possible, including with the phrase ‘maut ka saudagar‘. Many unspeakable insults were heaped on him. Now, if supporters rise in favour of one of the most popular leaders being maligned, and his family being insulted, should it be construed as unfair?
It is critical to note that Modiji never responded to such insults earlier, and bore them with dignity. In UP and Bihar, Azam Khan and Lalu Prasad have used the most outrageous language. Everyone is participating in this mud-slinging match. Yes, someone should stop it. But who will?
The Congress can begin by stopping the hurling of the worst possible abuses and insults at the Prime Minister. The BJP will surely take a step back. The Congress has used horrible terms, casteist slurs and derogatory words to insult a leader who holds one of the highest offices in the country.
Moreover, it is ridiculous when satire is mistaken for an insult. Modiji’s remark in reference to Manmohan Singh ‘taking a bath with a raincoat on’ was misconstrued as an offensive phrase. It’s a wonderful piece of satire. If we consider this as insult, then we have lost our sense of humour. By today’s poor literary standards, Churchill would have been considered a serial abusive offender.
Nobody took offence to Lohia calling Indira Gandhi a ‘goongi gudiya‘. There is obviously a limit to the kind of terminology you can use, and when you invoke words like ‘chor‘, ‘daaku‘ you are transgressing that. We have to differentiate between, satire, criticism, and wild insults and caste-based slurs.
Ultimately, the public is well-versed with current issues because of the access to social media. Tell me, which leader apart from Modi has a sense of satire and speech? Public discourse is so poor that even age old proverbs are translated literally, and people claim they have been abused and insulted. It has become tough to debate with satire in a humourless world. One needs to shout to be heard.
Ratan Sharda has written a book titled “Secrets of RSS: Demystifying The Sangh”, and writes for the Organiser weekly, Times of India, and Newsbharati.com