Abusive Rhetoric, Insipid Whine

Yashwant Sinha refers to Manmohan Singh as Shikhandi ? the connotation being eunuch, although the myth is a trifle more complicated. And there is no editorial by any national editor damning this degradation of discourse in the public arena. Is it because they have never heard the word, haven?t read the Mahabharata or is it that they do not see the indignity of Sinha?s utterance?

Uncouth and crass, these instances prove how debased public life has become in India. Leaders such as Sinha are responsible for the decline in social norms and practices. Such individuals, loose-mouthed and crude, should be shunned. It shows a complete lack of breeding particularly when juxtaposed against the impeccable Dr Manmohan Singh. Sinha is merely damning himself!

I sometimes wonder whether this kind of bad behaviour stems from the fact that these people have not been exposed enough to the world, to manners, to style, to different cultures, to varying norms. They are suddenly hoisted into positions that betray their lack of understanding of civil postures. Maybe these men and women in public life need to be put through a finishing school, a course in how to speak, what kind of language to use in a public debate, how to conduct themselves with their opponents. They need to be taught what democratic functioning is all about, how to present themselves to the country and the world. They need to learn that quiet fortitude is far more impressive and carries great clout compared to wild wails and abusive rhetoric.

One would imagine that these men and women of the NDA would have learnt from their most recent experience: The crude and undignified slander that they indulged in against Sonia Gandhi misfired so completely and put her on a high pedestal. Sonia Gandhi today epitomises dignity as does Manmohan Singh, particularly when compared to members of the opposition.

Shri Bardhan is trying desperately to hog some TV time with his report card on the ruling coalition. Why doesn?t the CPI join the NDA? That would make for amusing copy and they could, together, damn the present dispensation. We, the public, are sick of listening to the lefty whine. Amongst the Left parties, the CPI is the party that got left behind as the CPM stole a march and established itself in at least one or two pockets of the country. It is unfortunate that in this day and age we have to listen to voices and thoughts that belong to another age.

There are many ways of dealing with the problems of poverty, discrimination, unemployment and the lack of infrastructure. The tired, failed rhetoric and methodology of the past compelled this country to wallow in human horrors for 50 years and more. The lesser privileged have to be addressed and it has to be done in a way that they see the light of day soon and fast. Constant sniping will not produce any results…it will detract from positive action.

Then there is the BJP that seems to have gone slightly nuts. Naidu?s press conference where he spoke about how the population of Muslims and Christians is rising in an alarming fashion and will soon threaten the Hindu majority, is farcical to say the least. Rather than dwell upon the question of numbers, the premise itself is inhuman and unacceptable. How can the BJP be so parochial, so uni-dimensional and posture as a national party? This sub-continent has always been multi-cultural. The strength of India has been its strong pluralism. That is what makes India so rich and confident. Why this regressive sloganeering? Why this divisive politics? Why this confrontational position? It is all rather scary.

In all this late summer madness, the only pool of sanity today, in the public domain, is 7 Race Course Road. Quiet dignity emanates from there and one hopes that the past trend of uncouth manners and speech will change and we will witness a restoration of values that once made India and Indianness special. The crudities and unsavoury politics of the past years are alien to the true traditions of India. Hopefully it was an aberration.