Leaders indulge in blabbering and frenzied talk as election fever grips the nation
An avoidable political controversy has erupted after certain derogatory remarks against Kangana Ranaut, the BJP nominee from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, were attributed to two Congress leaders. Supriya Shrinate, one of the two offending Congress leaders, has pulled down the X post and apologised, pleading that somebody with access to her Meta account had written the “extremely inappropriate post”. Kangana, meanwhile, is breathing fire: “... Mandi is being used in sexual context everywhere, just because it has a young woman candidate...”. In response to the controversy, it is encouraging to see condemnation from across the political spectrum, with many leaders calling for restraint and civility. This collective outcry underscores the broader recognition of the need to uphold standards of respectful dialogue in politics. In the age of digital communication, words carry immense weight and have the potential to shape public perceptions; naturally, political leaders need to exercise caution and mindfulness. Therefore, the leaders involved in making disparaging remarks against others must be held accountable. As public personalities, they bear the responsibility to uphold standards of decorum and refrain from engaging in language that is inflammatory or derogatory. Political differences should be debated based on ideas and policies, rather than resorting to personal attacks.
Though not the first such occurrence, the latest incident underscores the delicate balance between freedom of expression and the responsibility to maintain respectful dialogue, especially during poll campaigns. A quick recap of similar incidents will take us back to 2005 when the then Railways Minister Lalu Yadav famously likened the good condition of roads in Bihar to Hema Malini’s cheeks (though he later claimed the simile was wrongly attributed to him!). During campaigning for the 2009 Rampur Lok Sabha elections, BJP candidate Jaya Pradha alleged that her former colleague and SP leader Azam Khan was circulating her morphed photos and proclaiming that she “wears khaki underwear.” His rebuttal: “Tell me, if I entertain this ‘naachne gaane wali’, how will I concentrate on politics?” In 2012, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam had this to say to Smriti Z Irani during a TV debate: “Aap to TV pe thumke lagati thi, aaj chunavi vishleshak ban gayi!!!” Another senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh was praising his party colleague Meenakshi Natarajan in Mandsaur in July 2013: “Main puraana jauhari hu, ye 100 tunch maal hai.” During the 2018 Rajasthan elections, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav fat-shamed the BJP leader: “Let Vasundhara rest, she is too tired. She has become fat.” Former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath said about then BJP Minister Imarti Devi during Dabra bypoll campaign in October 2020: “Yeh kya item hai!” So, the lesson is that while individuals have the right to express their opinion, such expression must remain within the boundaries of decency. Also, fostering a culture of empathy and understanding can contribute to a more conducive environment for political discourse.
