Panauti row Rahul Gandhi's gaali politics attack on PM Modi is a new low

The perversion of political discourse in the recent election campaign to five crucial states is a new low in Indian politics. The name-calling by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is an indication of the deep-seated sense of entitlement in our political system. There is a strong belief in a section of the political establishment that only one family has the right to rule over the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has suffered sustained, institutional hatred at the behest of this section. From commenting on his humble origins to a very despicable comment on his father by Mallikarjun Kharge – such statements are unwarranted and unhealthy for our democracy.

It is no longer surprising as similar verbal attacks were made on the first ever tribal woman who has reached the highest constitutional office in the country, Rashtrapati Draupadi Murmu. From referring to her as a representative of a “devilish” mindset to the severely distasteful “Rashtrapatni” comment by the Leader of Opposition — her dignity was assaulted by this elite political establishment as they could not accept the arrival of a tribal woman from one of the most backward regions of the country at Raisina Hill. Karpuri Thakur, former CM of Bihar and one of the most vocal advocates for the rights of the marginalised sections also faced similar diatribes. Santosh Singh, senior journalist and author of the book Ruled or Misruled has observed that there was a slogan when Karpuri Thakur ascended to the throne of Chief Minister in Bihar, “Karpuri kar poora, Chhod Kursi Pakad Ustura”. Since he came from the barber community, he was asked to vacate the chair of CM and get back to his traditional profession.

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