Words. Words. Words. The nation should pride itself for having acquired, thanks entirely to its vibrant democracy, a unique vocabulary of venom. Indigenous wordsmiths, speech-specialists and spin-doctors are drinking deep at the wells of invective in order to provide the necessary sound and fury to the final phases of campaigning. The last few weeks have seen words like ``liar'', ``mad man'' and ``barbarian'' fly thick and fast as competitive sloganeering seems to be the most rewarding activity on the campaign trail.Citizens have been very kindly provided with an update on who the ``genuine Indian'' is and who the ``foreigner'', who the ``true patriot'' and who the ``traitor''. While the Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad, who once presided over parliamentary etiquette as Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, used lavatorial imagery to describe how intimidated the BJP is by Sonia Gandhi, the latter's storm-troopers have had no compunction in labelling the Congress President as ``Chacha 420''.
Going bythe quality of the pre-view then, the nation can certainly look forward to blockbuster times in the 12th Lok Sabha as the newly-elected heroes of the Zero Hour -- or should that read as zeros of the Hero Hour? -- hurl their lightning bolts from the floor of the House. Of course, some of this is already part of established parliamentary tradition. Stalwarts like Congress Rajya Sabha member S.S. Ahluwalia have won their political spurs by the sheer power of their lungs, and individuals like K.K. Tewari, a former MP from the same party and teacher of English literature, had regularly deployed John Milton to devastating effect as he bestowed on Opposition leaders epithets such as ``satan'' and ``Beelzebub''. This regular airing of jaundiced opinion has taken place despite codes on parliamentary discipline and decorum being circulated and signed. Despite, it may be added, the Constitution specifying that persons of ``unsound mind'' cannot qualify as MPs of this august nation.
The voter, however,has a simple question: How will this trading of abuses ensure that he or she gets good governance, which is after all what this entire exercise is about? It is not entirely surprising that despite the caterwauling, breast-beating and finger-pointing that has taken place, this election campaign has been remarkably free of any serious discussion on real issues, those that concern the well-being and progress of ordinary Indians. Recurring malaria epidemics are not an election issue in Rajasthan or Bihar although thousands of people in both states have died of it, and vehicular pollution did not exercise the so-called people's champions in Delhi or Bangalore, although both cities are fairly choking under the scourge. As the electoral campaign for the 12th Lok Sabha elections slowly winds to a close, here is some free advice for those who aspire to sit in the Lok Sabha shortly: Talk straight, not loose. Otherwise, come March, and this country faces the unhappy prospect of being saddled with some 543 loud mouths.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
