The season has come in India when political leaders promise heaven on earth. Rhetoric flows with full force. Allegations are flung at rivals. The standard claim that “our sinners are saints; your saints are sinners” is repeated incessantly. Vicious memes fill the air waves. Fake news travels faster. Digital thugs hound dissenters. The Police withdraws or files complaints. News of financial frauds, tax evasion and official economic statistics are released or suppressed.
TV anchors scream and shut up any guest questioning their set agenda. The ruling party leaders fire the weapons of “patriotism” and religion to generate hatred. The “traitors” are asked to go to Pakistan. A visitor to India might get the impression that India is teeming with Pakistanis!
The dominating discourse is not about growing unemployment or farmers’ suicides. It focuses on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim that he is a watchman (chokidar) and the opposition leaders’ response that this watchman is a thief (chor). The ruling party leaders insert the title chokidarbefore their names in social media accounts! This is to show their solidarity with the leader. A mature nation seems to regress.
