The Pioneer- Dilli Billi-11th Nov 2012- "Make Accusations if they can be proved"

Make Accusations if they can be proved

Today, politics has become a game where leaders make personal attacks without thinking of the repercussions. It is time that elections are fought on more concrete grounds

One watched the campaigning for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh with a lot of interest. What was shocking was, of course, the bad and foul language used at Press conferences where the leaders had nothing to say but make personal attacks. This kind of behavior is shameful. The politicians need to understand that the youth are major voters. They are educated and are aware of ground realities.

Meanwhile, the news channels have become channels of entertainment especially when they discuss politics and politicians. One can see which side a particular channel is inclined towards. Candidates always complaint that news channels play favourites. The personal equation that many channels have with a particular media house, obviously with gains forming a major part of it, affects the coverage of the news. It is sad that the media has sunk to such low levels that people are doing sting operations on the media heads. Nothing can be more shameful than this. With so much bias shown on news channels, many prefer to watch a serial than watch the news. These people rely on Doordarshan for the news of substance.

The other day at a dinner party, I attended, people were discussing that there was a time when a whistleblower would address the media, people would want to know what he had to say. Today, People are tired of self-proclaimed heroes who have taken it upon themselves to be conscious keepers. There is no doubt that they are doing the nation a service, but people are not interested in accusations. The public is not concerned with whether the person involved is good or bad in personal life. As long as he is working for the betterment, what he does in his private life doesn’t concern the common man.

It takes years to make a name for oneself. We are humans and make mistakes. This doesn’t mean that a wrong should not be highlighted. But to tarnish somebody’s image with frivolous charges is not in good taste. Ours is a democratic set up which the whole world respects. So unless there is concrete proof, one must resist the temptation to speak ill of the person. And if the charges are proved the Government must take strong action against them. As for the people who blow the cover, they too have a duty towards the society- to put portray the correct and true picture if the corrupt politicians, businessman and or the official involved.

At the Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat election campaign, personal attacks were made. A Senior State leader was insulted by a young MP. The young leader said that the senior leader was mentally unstable and resembled a monkey. Who appreciates this kind of talk? It just shows bad upbringing and the voter is completely put off by the party which gave the young MP courage to say something like. After all, a person who has been in politics for 50 years demands more respect than shown by the first-timer MP.

It is sad that allegations are carelessly made and it is left to the accused to prove his innocence, in my opinion, if the accuser is proved wrong he should be punished and the media that was instrumental in carrying such fallacious news needs to apologise to the person concerned on the TV.

I is high time that elections are fought on issue based grounds rather than hurling insults and making personal attacks just to score points on a new channel.