Venom, scorn foul up UP electoral narrative

Akhilesh Tripathi | Lucknow

The increasingly inflammatory and provocative speeches laced with intimidation and open antagonism against rival parties and certain communities by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party have come for widespread criticism in Uttar Pradesh where the first phase of polling is due on February 10. Marked for their pejorative tone, the speeches have touched the nadir. And most of them have come from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who does not spare anything when hurling false accusations.

Speaking at an election meeting at Muradnagar, he made the blanket accusation of all Samajwadi Party candidates in Muzaffarnagar, Kairana, Bulandshahr, Syana and Muradabad being the ones who instigated the communal riots in Muzaffarnagar in 2014 and have come out from their hideouts after eight years. “These rioters are now dreaming of running the government in Uttar Pradesh. They should understand that the rule of law will remain in force even after March 10,” he added.

While speaking at Hapur on January 30, he referred to the AkhileshJayant Chaudhury combine as ‘do ladkon ki Jodi’ (lads representing the SP-RLD alliance) and warned of dire consequences after March 10 as the new BJP Government will initiate measures to punish them for instigating riots. “We will calm down their aggression and blunt their edge”, he warned.

The intimidating tone has not gone unnoticed. Hitting such a low in campaign narrative has drawn criticism from several quarters and media outlets have interpreted it as frustration building up within the BJP. In stark contrast, the SP-RLD leaders have been cautioning the election rallyists against being provoked and counseling them to maintain bhaichara (brotherhood) at all cost. Jat Mahasabha has declared that it would solidly back the SP-RLD alliance and go whole hog to see that every single vote from the region goes against the BJP.

In a retort against Yogi, Jat leader Jayant Chaudhury asked Yogi to pick up a blanket and be ready to get back to his mutt as people have decided to send him packing back to his cavern. On the other hand, the SP leader had been publicly expressing his apprehension against the BJP using some gambit to inflame passion at the spur of the elections and drive a wedge between communities. He has been asking his supporters to maintain calm and getting provoked would be akin to walking into the trap being set up by the BJP which he claims is facing defeat as manifested by the crowds surging for his rallies.

The spewing of venom and use of vitriol and vituperative terminology has fouled up the electoral narrative, yet the Election Commission has maintained stoic silence over increasing use of terminology that has had few parallels in the electoral history. (PTI)