‘Maut Ka Saudagar’, ‘Atankwadi’: After Promise of ‘Action’, Will EC Go Beyond Moral Code of Conduct?

The Election Commission has teeth, but it doesn’t bite – the perception among political parties, which has emboldened them to disregard the EC notices for model code violations, could change during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

From Sonia Gandhi calling then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi ‘Maut ka Saudagar’ during the Gujarat Assembly campaign in 2007 to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Parvesh Verma calling Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a ‘terrorist’ during the Assembly election campaign for the UT in 2020 — the EC, by its admission, has only used “moral censoring” as a tool. In other words, it showed it has teeth, but never dared to use it.

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However, with rising hate speeches from all political parties, plummeting political discourse and baseless allegations becoming a norm, the EC has promised “action” this time, to keep the discourse civil. “Earlier, we used to morally censor, but now we will take action,” warned Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Saturday, as he announced the Lok Sabha election schedule.

‘WON’T SPARE ANYONE’

While controversial statements by candidates have been a constant, violations by big leaders is the new trend. In 2007, when Gandhi made the objectionable remark, she was the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Chairperson. In 2020, ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, UP CM Yogi Adityanath created a storm by saying, “Boli ki bhasha nahi manega, toh goli ki bhasha samjhayegi (those who don’t understand words, will surely understand the language of the bullet).”

The EC sought to dispel the assumption that these promised “actions” will be limited only to regular candidates. “Wherever there will be a case of violation against anyone, however renowned the politician may be, we will not sit back. We will take action,” the CEC clarified.

‘POISONOUS’ TO ‘SLAPPING’: REMARKS GALORE

Last year, in April, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a snake at an election rally in Gadag district. “If you try to test whether it is poisonous or not, you will die.” Later his clarification didn’t make it any better, “What I meant was the BJP is like a poisonous snake.”

PM Modi retorted, reminding how the Congress “abused” Ambedkar and continues to tarnish Savarkar. “The Congress called the great man a rakshasa (demon), a traitor and a fraud. We see how it is abusing Veer Savarkar these days,” he said.

This January, West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar asked people to slap Mamata Banerjee. In a viral video, Majumdar said, “When your children return from school, they can’t answer anything. You slap and ask them what they studied in school. Instead of slapping your children, slap Mamata Banerjee because she has destroyed the education system.”

‘REFRAIN FROM PERSONAL ATTACKS’

No wonder then, the Commission has put a lot of “responsibility” to remain civil on the star campaigners. “I urge parties to refrain from personal attacks and foul language. No-go areas in speeches are defined to maintain civility. Let us not cross lines in our rivalry,” said Kumar.

This month itself, the Commission had to ask Congress’s star campaigner Rahul Gandhi to be more careful in his public utterances, after he called the Prime Minister “panauti” (bad omen) and “pickpocket”. Interestingly, this was not the first time he used those derogatory terms and not the first time the EC warned him.

Now, with the EC promising to go beyond lip service and take definitive action against the violators, it still remains to be seen whether the poll body can walk the talk and keep this Lok Sabha election civil.