Ban those who hurl abuses

When it comes to viciousness of speech, the current electioneering is reaching a new low across the country.

Not only venom and vitriol, the speeches are laced with epithets as well as pejorative words.

The Indian National Congress’ spokeswoman Supriya Shrinate made a derogatory remark against Bharatiya Janata Party nominee from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh Kangana Ranaut which came in for sharp criticism.

Janata Dal Secular nominee and former chief minister H. D. Kumaraswamy’s remark that ‘rural women lost their way due to Congress guarantees’ has been seen as an innuendo alleging free travel facility causing waywardness among women.

The gender-insensitive remark has drawn flak from one and all. ‘Extra peg’ remark allegedly made by BJP leader Sanjay Patil against Karnataka Women and child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar was in poor taste and provoked women agitators into laying a siege around Patil’s residence.

While remarks in southern states have been in the nature of innuendos and insinuations, the language in the badlands of Uttar Pradesh has been raw and acerbic.

In the no-holds barred rivalry, the contestants have been dubbed bhedia (wolf), gunda no. 1 (first rate hooligan), insaaniyat ka qatil (killer of humanity), maut ka saudagar (merchant of death), rakshasa and shaitaan (devil) and have been threatened with dire warnings like boti-boti kardoonga (will cut into pieces).

If one rates them merely ‘derogatory’, it will be an understatement. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had issued a Model Code of Conduct (MCC) a fortnight ago.

Campaigning is a hugely important part of the democratic process and should be free from invectives, innuendos, abusive terminology, venom, vitriol, threats and intimidation.

If rivals cannot seriously engage themselves in a discourse over issues of popular concern, and need to threaten their adversaries, the process cannot retain the sanctity of fairness demanded of an election.

The ECI will need to infuse efficiency in the process by initiating action against those indulging in character assassination of their rivals in the course of electioneering through hate and intimidation.

Banning candidates guilty of hurling profanity on rivals from seeking election will inject some sanity in the campaign.