Political parties should teach leaders to mind their language
Language
of leaders during election-campaigns speaks about the health of democracy in India
Language is one of the yard stick to judge the
health of democracy and hardly any political party in India or its followers
could match with this criterion. We
could scarcely find any answer to this question. During the election days, the fall of
standard in language could be easily felt.
Have you ever thought, as to why it happens so? One of the reason behind
this is that it is in the nature of politics in which there is always a race to
show-up in the eyes of others, to prove every wrong of others and to tell about
yourself as perfect person. In case this
perception and confidence that we are better than others, is not there then the
base of feelings and intelligent group would be lost.
It is an admitted fact that to treat as best among
others, there is a need of self introspection otherwise the confidence is
converted into hollow and the same is observed everywhere. In fact, our politicians have stopped have
interaction with self and analyze and this is the reason, they see wrongs in
others barring self and our own. It is very strange that election-campaign is
converted into criticism-campaign.
Just a few days back, during the Assembly
elections, the decorum of language of politician was beyond one’s imagination
and the same is happening in UP elections.
No one wants to be lacking behind on the policy of ‘Attack is the only solution
of safety’. What to say of others, even the Chief Minister or Prime Minister
have not shown any inhibition. The hidden intention behind such statements
could be easily felt.
Normally the attack is on the issues of caste and
religion to keep intact the vote bank.
Neither the model code of conduct is followed nor are the decisions of
the Apex Court in this regard taken care of. Only the idea is to be in
headlines at the back of the charges and counter charges through the statements,
to which even the media houses are after the sensational statements and give
maximum coverage at the front pages than Page 3.
It is very unfortunate that the recent elections
have brought down the tone of discourse to disheartening levels. Just for example, even the Prime Minister
Narendera Modi who has helmed his party during UP campaign along with BJP
President Amit Shah, opened the breach with his caustic coinage of the acronym
SCAM short for SP, Congress, Akhilesh, Mayawati, for his oppeonets by saying
“Behenji Sampatti Party to BSP – Bhaujan Samaj Party.
Notably, the standard of election-campaign is
going down day-by-day and the odd talks become the talk of the town and the
real issues are side tracked. Thus the ultimate loss is to our democracy and
particular to the weaker sections that treat vote as the highest power with
them. With the invention of new smart
phone applications, the social media helps of becoming election-campaign as
criticism-campaign.
In politics, every type of persons is there but
the question is that negativity is visible to all but where is the
positivity? As to why the problems of
the common man are not getting opportunity to become a part of debates? The public life runs with traditions and
safeguarding of honour but its feeling has become very difficult. The feeling
of Election Commission could be beyond its
imagination when the drugs are in the well and leaders of the political
parties are in it and what would be the standard of political workers?
The message of the campaign contains the ideas
that the candidate wants to share with the voters. It is to get those who agree
with their ideas to support them when running for a political position.
Modern political campaigns have set new standards
for how successful campaigns are conducted day-to-day. The campaign is
conducted in what would seem to the public like pseudo-military style, with a
strict chain of command, zero tolerance for certain prohibited actions, and an
extended daily schedule that starts early and ends much later than most days
job. Now a days, the statements by the
political leaders through the media houses and counter statements on the next
day without caring for he language has become a fashion and keep waiting the
readers for the next statement.
Frankly speaking, a political campaign is an
organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a
specific group.
But my point is a very simple one. Anyone can use
whatever language they like as we live in a free country but with certain
check. But at the same time, politicians
paid by us to be legislators and parliamentary representatives, owe us a
certain courtesy.
Political parties, especially those in power,
should educate their ministers, legislators and workers on decency and decorum
in public life. In other democracies, elected representatives have lost their
jobs for much smaller linguistic misdemeanors. The language of the street
corner should not be elevated to high office; in fact it should not be used at
all.
It is an admitted fact also that many of our
politicians were and are known for their brilliant oratory. Nehru, of course,
stands out. Vajpayee is another speaker extraordinaire. One can think of Piloo
Mody, Indrajit Gupta, Shashi Tharoor, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and the PM.
These are people who are mesmerizing when they speak. They have substance and
language to back them up. And I am mentioning just a select few. None of them
have ever found the need to cater to the lowest common denominator to get their
point across.
India is said to be having the biggest democracy
in the world but does all this indicate towards the huge educated or uneducated
population of the country or democratic awareness? In such scenario, the
politicians need to be more sophisticated and taught to mind their language.
Over to politicians!
harish.monga.969
