Elections, whether in India, the US or in any other country, invite plenty of rhetoric from political leaders and candidates; this is the modern trend.
Gone are the days when leaders spoke on issues and reframed from personal criticism of their opponents. India has seen great orators, from various parties and from across the country, who placed their and their party’s stand before the electorate in a dignified manner. They not only had a vision for their respective constituencies, but also for the state and the country at large.
That is now historical, as most leaders are found to indulge in personal criticism of their political rivals, rather than speak about the issues before the electorate.
Yet, a few leaders provided a reprieve from all such situations. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) leader Supriya Sule and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stood out in the midst of electoral cacophony.
Gandhi spoke at Maha Vikas Aghadi’s inaugural election rally in Mumbai and stuck to the issues concerning Maharashtra and its people, without indulging in personal attacks on his and his party’s political opponents. While criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party-dominated Mahayuti in the state, Gandhi claimed that while the Eknath Shinde-led government has launched the Ladki Bahin scheme, under which a woman gets Rs 15,000 per month, amounting to Rs 18,000 a year, every family in the state is losing Rs 90,000 annually due to inflation and taxes.
Sule, who was interviewed on a television channel, refused to make any personal comment against her cousin and political rival Ajit Pawar, who split the Nationalist Congress Party formed by her father to join the Shinde-led Mahayuti government.
In the current political atmosphere prevailing in the country, it is rare to hear a leader praise a political opponent. Sule, turned out to be that rare politician. It may be felt that she refrained from making personal remarks against Ajit Pawar, because he is her cousin and a dear one, but she did not make a single personal comment against Chief Minister Shinde or BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis either.
Not only that, Sule exhibited grace and dignity by appreciating certain qualities and the work of Pawar and Fadnavis. She showered praises on both the leaders, knowing fully well that neither would reciprocate, especially not during election time, when leaders lacking a proper agenda for the development of the state and the welfare of the people indulge only in mudslinging and personal attacks; an additional quality of the Hindutva leaders is to divide the people on the basis of religion.
Sule expressed appreciation for the work done by Ajit Pawar over the years, for the growth of the party, development of Baramati and welfare of the people. As regards Fadnavis, she said she has high regard for him, but was pained that he had shown a file ordering a probe against Ajit Pawar regarding the irrigation scam, to Pawar, and on his failure to take appropriate action in Badlapur sexual harassment of two minor girls.
Even in Parliament, Sule has performed in a manner that is expected of a parliamentarian. In the Lok Sabha, she is not a politician, she comes out as a statesperson, with tremendous political maturity. No wonder, she has won the best parliamentarian award numerous times. Even if we have around 20% of parliamentarians and legislators like Sule, our democracy will perform better.
In contrast, one needs to look at Fadnavis and Shinde, when it comes to their style of campaigning. Fadnavis is one of those individuals who think that the louder they speak, the more honest or convincing they would appear. That may be true for the blind followers of a leader, but those who have the ability to analysis and ponder over statements made by politicians see through the hollowness of the claims.
Fadnavis speaks in a high-pitched voice, or rather bellows, whether at public meetings or in the legislature. At his public rallies, the party wastes its financial resources by hiring public address systems, as when he speaks in Nagpur he can be heard in Mumbai!
In their zeal to flay the political rivals, leaders often tread on slippery ground or to use a cliché, dig their own grave or that of their colleagues. Fadnavis has done it for himself and Ajit Pawar has done the same for Fadnavis.
The BJP has little to present to the voters, to win their votes, as a result, it has gone back on its strongest point — the Hindutva card. Leader after leader of the BJP has been speaking about the need for Hindus to unite, to avoid being “slaughtered”. They do not have to spell out further, as the mind of many have already been poisoned by the venom of communal hatred.
Fadnavis has challenged the Maha Vikas Aghadi to install a statue of Shivaji Maharaj in Mumbra, implying that such a statue cannot be installed in Muslim-dominated Mumbra. The Deputy Chief Minister exhibited his ignorance as there already exists a Shivaji Maharaj statue in the town. Even if there isn’t one, nothing stopped his government from doing so during his tenure as Chief Minister for five years and later in the two and half years that he has been the Deputy Chief Minister.
Ajit Pawar, while trying to criticise the late R R Patil, has put Fadnavis in trouble by stating that the latter showed him the file which had listed the corruption charges against Pawar, in the irrigation scam. If the file was shown to Pawar, it is in gross violation of the oath of secrecy taken by Fadnavis and as pointed out by Sule, Fadnavis should be penalised for this violation.
It is for the voters to decide whom they wish to vote for, but they should ensure that communal harmony is maintained in the state.
The author is a senior journalist and media trainer. He tweets at @a_mokashi
