Kahan Gaye woh log !!??

I woke up today morning to see the news of Navjyot Singh Siddhu referring to the BJP and Narendra Modi as “Kaale Angrez” (Black Britishers).

A few days back ex-cricketer Gautam Gambhir of the BJP was in the news for allegedly distributing pamphlets containing derogatory content against AAP leader Atishi Marlena. Gautam Gambhir has vehemently denied it and both parties have exchanged Legal Notices against each other for defamation

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Azam Khan of the BSP – Samajwadi party combination was recently in the news for making some derogatory comments on former film actress and BJP Candidate Jaya Prada.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Narendra Modi have both been involved in a war of words. Priyanka Gandhi has called the PM weak and revenge minded. Modi has called the entire Vadra-Gandhi family corrupt and has vowed to bring them to justice if and when he is voted back to power.

Arvind Kerjiwal of AAP and Modi have been trading accusations against each other for a long time now.

Smriti Irani of the BJP has been busy these days making mincemeat of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress.

TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee and PM Modi have been dealing with accusations and counter-accusations of late. Modi accused Mamata Banerjee of aiding and abetting illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in West Bengal to boost her vote bank while Mamata has accused the BJP of bribing voters to vote for them.

Rahul Gandhi and Modi have always been at loggerheads. Rahul has called Modi a Chor (thief) while Modi has been accusing the Gandhi family of being corrupt.

During Political debates on aired on news channels in Prime time, opposing parties indulge in trading insults and cat calls, much to the amusement of the news anchors who do nothing to control what’s happening.

This has been the trend since 2014, and probably much before that.

Is this how politics has come to these days? Each politician claims to bring the nation to the path of peace and prosperity, but all they indulge in these days is trading insults, making accusations and counter accusations. Their focus seems to be more on defaming their opponents rather than focusing on critical issues.

It is therefore, no surprise to wonder why politics is the most maligned profession these days.

This is a far cry from yesteryears, where stalwarts like Sardar Patel, Yashwant Rao Chavan, Lal Bahadur Shastri and others administered the nation. These were men of high character and caliber. Their patriotism and commitment towards the nation was unquestionable. One never caught them washing their dirty linen in public.

Sardar Patel and Nehru had huge differences, but never spoke harshly about each other to others. They kept their differences aside and worked together for the nation. Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose had their differences in opinion, which ultimately led to Bose leaving the Indian National Congress. But never did he speak ill against Gandhi and vice versa.

Politicians of yesteryear believed in setting an example for others and thus followed an exemplary code of conduct. They did criticize their opponents policies but never went personal.

In contrast, the politicians of today have stooped to new lows. They are power hungry and will do anything to grab power and stay in it. More than focusing on issues which concern the nation, they are more occupied in mudslinging and maligning their opponents name and fame.

Our school history textbooks these days have sections devoted to Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri and other stalwarts. They are depicted as role models of an independent and developing India.

Today's politicians should take a leaf out of their predecessors books and learn to lead by example. They should stop for a moment and consider how they will be remembered by the future generations, or whether they will be remembered at all !