Battle for Delhi

The curtain falls on the public campaigning in Delhi, and many would be heaving a sigh of relief. The quest for leading Delhi had become a battle. Virulent statements triggered divisive politics and brought to the fore a degree of ugliness that was as distressing as it was, unfortunately, predictable. While those in the political sphere lost their ability to disagree without being disagreeable a while ago, the degree to which the level of discourse, if it can be called that, has sunk is there for all to see.

The campaigning for the election came at a sensitive time for the nation. However, the way it was conducted hardly reflected the maturity of our democracy. The demonisation of the anti-CAA protests; overuse of anti-sedition laws, even against children; rhetoric that can only be called hateful — all reflect thinking that is at odds with the liberal secular democracy that our nation is. Even the timing of the announcement, in Parliament, of the formation of the trust for building the temple at the Ram Janambhoomi site, lent itself to muted political interpretations. However, the Prime Minister’s assertion about all communities and faiths in India being part of a large family and their inclusive development was a message that needed to be articulated, given the present situation.

The state of Delhi represents a unique microcosm of the nation. These Assembly elections, naturally, become a matter of prestige. In an ideal world, the politics and campaign of Delhi elections would be a model for the rest of the country. The world, however, is far from perfect, and even as the shrillness of the public campaigning dies down, there is still hope that the voters will take the required moment to deliberate before they cast their vote. Meanwhile, the absence of the shrillness and vitriol would be a welcome respite for the nation at large.