Come end of the year, elections in several states are scheduled. The national elections too are scheduled in the first half of the coming year. They promise to be as interesting as any, that were held in the past. That said, would they also be as contentious and as acerbic as in the past? We swear by the constitution, our holy book for ethical governance, but follow it, neither in letter nor in spirit. Hate speeches and fake narratives rule our days, months and years, resulting in great stress in the society. Consequent unrest amongst people is something that we could do without. Election after election, the hate threshold seems to be only going up. Societal unrest is palpable as friends and families argue beliefs and core values, shunning friendships they once sought and respected. Some have been displaying symptoms such as acute anxiety, irritation, fearfulness and sleeplessness. Is it not time we discarded acrimony and rediscovered peace and joy of living?
With party strategies ever refining strategies, and designed to the last detail with data analytics and technology, their execution is almost always near perfect. Traditional election paradigms are being disrupted like never before. Traditional parliamentary systems are being retrofit to resemble presidential elections of “Me” vs “You”. Candidates make no difference. They could be veterans, accused, novices or incompetent. Their strategies are similar. “Spread Hate”.
Extreme polarisation is resulting in vitriolic campaigns. The British may have left seventy-seven years ago. However, their version of democracy, couched in aristocracy, is still evolving in the country, that is riddled with inconsistencies of caste, religion and language. Current leaders seem to be revelling in the old master’s strategies. Hate speech fuels intolerance and reinforces negative stereotypes about marginalized groups. It contributes to social divisions and conflicts by creating an “us vs. them” mentality. It erodes social cohesion by promoting division and distrust among different groups, leading to a fractured society. The current generation has not been a part of the independence movement nor do they identify with its struggles. Their aspirations are decent income, decent living and security. Their simplicity of thinking and their expectations make them easy targets.
Be it, Adolf Hitler’s hate speeches against the Jews, or of the South African Government’s apartheid innuendos or the speeches of David Duke, of the Ku Klux Klan or the Anders Behring Breivik’s Manifesto, they all promoted racism, misogyny, and xenophobia. Continuous exposure to hate speech normalize discriminatory attitudes and behaviours. It escalates to physical violence and hate crimes against targeted groups. It even undermines rational and respectful discourse, which is essential for democratic societies.
Should not our national parties go back to the drawing board, reposition themselves, rethink the environment, and revisit the party founding tenets? Should we not improve on the provisions in the IT Act and tighten legislations to introduce penalties for parties that fail to take down offensive content once it is flagged? Even as party cadres are devoid of discipline, it is the ability of the leader to come down heavily at the slightest of misdemeanour that makes the difference. Motor mouths must be silenced ruthlessly or sacked from the parties. More often than not, younger generation would appreciate such decisive gestures. It is necessary that cadres must be massively enhanced, in a spiral plot like structure, to bring back the laurels. Motivational speakers who can inspire with their oratory and charisma must lead from the front. Consistent issue-based politics will endear people to parties. Agenda of the Nation and not agenda of self must be enforced. Jobs, farmer distress, price rise are all serious concerns. A white paper that discusses these thoroughly with meticulous mitigation plans is needed by all parties.
Political strategy is how parties and candidates think and plan in order to achieve their goals. It requires consideration of many different factors such as the nature of the market, history, culture, governance, stakeholders, competitors, resources and goals. Strategies typically include targeting, positioning, attack and defence, sales and market orientations, populism, environmentalism, measurement and effective implementation. Data analytics and AI are the tools to do it. Parties must be receptive to change. Strategies must never be built on hate. Combating hate speech must involve education, awareness campaigns, fostering inclusive environments, and encourage open dialogues that promote understanding and empathy among different communities.