Personal attacks in India’s election campaign

Letter May 12, 2014
Whether a leader has a wife or a girlfriend is not a national issue; corruption and poor economic growth are.

DUBAI: The current Indian elections have touched a new low in terms of personal attacks among the leading candidates. Almost on a daily basis, Mrs Sonia Gandhi and her son, Rahul Gandhi, launch a tirade against the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi.

Now that Mrs Gandhi and Rahul are battle weary, the daughter, Priyanka, has entered the fray. She is almost visceral in her biting attacks on Mr Modi. Priyanka holds no party or government position. Yet, she is leading the attack from the front.

The Gandhi family has been attacking Mr Modi’s personal life as well, for instance his matrimonial status. This is unethical. Frankly, as a common citizen, I am not the least concerned about the personal lives of politicians. Whether a leader has a wife or a girlfriend is his personal matter. It is not a national issue; corruption and poor economic growth are.

The campaign of the Congress party reveals that the great Indian National Congress, which fought for India’s freedom, is reduced to a family affair or a business of Mrs Gandhi and her children. Many senior Congress leaders are silent in this campaign; it is only Mrs Gandhi and her children who have been vocal during this election.

It is indeed lamentable that important issues like improving growth rates, managing and reducing unemployment, poverty alleviation, improvement in infrastructure and health services have taken a backseat and personal attacks and insinuations dominate the election campaigns of all parties.

Rajendra K Aneja

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2014.

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