Parties indulging in violence is mockery of democracy

When Andhra Pradesh witnessed heavy polling on Monday which is said to be over 81% people breathed easy and congratulated the Election Commission of India for successfully conducting peaceful elections as against large number of violent incidents in 2019. But then by evening, incidents of violence were reported from Palnadu region between the ruling party and opposition activists and spread to Chittoor and Anantapur on Tuesday.

While the ruling party alleged that it was the handiwork of opposition as it feels that it was losing the polls. The opposition said attacks were by ruling party activists who realised that their game was over. Whatever it is, such incidents are highly condemnable. There is nothing wrong in claims and counter claims on winning chances of each party till the final results are announced on June 4. But, indulging in violence is nothing but making a mockery of democracy.

Political parties and leaders should either stop speaking about democracy or otherwise they should do everything that is necessary to protect democracy. They cannot swear by Constitution and duck from protecting democracy. There is no point giving big lectures during public meetings whenever there are elections saying X party is bad, it is anti democratic and claim that they are the only saviours of democracy. Till the polling day, candidates beg for votes, hold hands, hug voters kiss them and indulge in all kinds of theatrics. Immediately after the polling they attack voters whom they suspect were favorable towards their rival party and might have voted for them. In fact on Monday, a voter was slapped and beaten while he was waiting in queue just for questioning the MLA who jumped the queue. How the polling staff and security staff allowed him to jump the queue is another question. This shows that the English men have gone but attitude of officials being subservient has not changed even 75 years of Independence.

If this is the situation, how can anyone claim that it is free and fair poll. Every voter as per Constitution has right to vote for a candidate of their choice but if this anger is displayed by political parties, then certainly democracy has no meaning. Instead of giving lectures waving books saying Constitution will be scrapped etc, the top leaders of all political parties would be doing a great service to the nation provided they ensure that the voter can enjoy his freedom to vote at least once in five years. If that cannot be done, then it would be hypocrisy to say India is the biggest democracy, mother of democracy etc.

Unfortunately post poll violence has been on the increase in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and few other states. What is also intriguing and needs cleansing is the functioning of the administrative machinery which includes the police and other law enforcing agencies. Why they do not act as per rules and act tough to curb any violence, whoever the perpetrator be is something that bothers the common man. Such violence is never spontaneous. It is organised and politically motivated.

They spread only if the police fails to act tough. We have seen this in case of anti Sikh riots in Delhi in 1984,we have seen this in communal violence in Hyderabad in united Andhra Pradesh and we have experienced it in 2019 polls and again this time we are seeing how political violence is rising its ugly head.

As voters, people wish that the Central government whether it is Modi 3.0 should ensure that this menace ends. Political parties should understand that they come to power and draw salaries from the taxes paid by the common man and they should work as “Karyakartas” of people and not as their ‘Maibaap.’ They need to learn the meaning of decency, decorum and the core values of democracy.