By Dr. Gyan Pathak
Campaign for the Lok Sabha election 2024 has brought India’s faultlines in sharp focus – which included the falling credibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in ensuring free and fair election, the apparent threat to democracy and the Constitution, widening chasm between the religious majority and minorities, unprecedented level of unemployment, and ever rising inequality in the society. It is in sharp contrast to the dominant issue of national security during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign that had come into centre stage just after the Pulwama attack on security forces in February, which relegated all other burning issues, including high unemployment and the devastating demonetisation impact on the livelihood, in the rear.
Only similarity between the election campaign of 2019 and 2024 is the focus of PM Narendra Modi on jingoism in relation to Pakistan and on Muslim terror modules, so as to inject a sense of fear of a national security threat among the majority Hindu community to unite them to vote for BJP. It worked in 2019, and BJP could win unprecedented 303 seats. Only the result on June 4 will show if this strategy worked this time. National security did not emerge an issue, though the Prime Minister Narendra Modi repeatedly mentioned that the opposition INDIA bloc has conspired to take away the properties of Hindus, and reservation of STs, SCs, and OBCs to give them to Muslims. It was direct violation of Model Code of Conduct since it was nothing but instigating Hindus against the Opposition and the Muslims, – instigating one section of the population against the other.
Opposition INDIA bloc has raised the issue before the Election Commission of India (ECI), but no proportionate action was taken against the Prime Minister for such violation, while ECI took action against several opposition leaders, more stringent for lesser level of violation. This brought the issue of falling credibility of the ECI, and a suspicion that ECI has compromised its independence to the ruling establishment. Then came the issue of providing timely polling data, which was delayed for several days, and the final data was much higher than the initial data released on the polling day, giving rise to a suspicion of data manipulation. These are some of the serious matters in relation to conducting free and fair election by the ECI.
The apparent threat to democracy was brought into focus by the opposition, several of whose leaders were put behind bar under draconian PMLA for money laundering and corruption. Opposition cried foul and raised the issue before the court and made it an issue during the election campaigns. One can’t deny the fact that the Centre has unleashed central investigating agencies against the political parties and their leaders during the election. Supreme Court of India has even given relief in the form of interim bail to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to campaign for election, who was arrested by the Enforcement directorate after the announcement of election by ECI. The Department of Income Tax even blocked the account of the chief opposition political party Congress, which is leading the opposition INDIA bloc. After such a disruption, Congress has to go to the Supreme Court of India where Income Tax department said that no coercive action will be taken against the Indian National Congress in respect of the income tax demand of approximately Rs 3500 crore till July 2024 because of the impending elections.
These are some of the incidents suggesting that democracy in the country is in danger, and hence the opposition INDIA bloc made it an issue during election campaign telling the people how PM Modi expressed his bias against the opposition leaders when he said that the INDIA bloc is a pack of corrupt politicians, and he vows to take action against them. The opposition leaders gave example how corruption cases were ignored or disposed off when the accused happened to a member of ruling BJP or joined hands with them. All taint of corruption and other crimes are cleaned in Modi Washing Machine they alleged.
Another serious issue was the threat to the Constitution of India. During the election campaign several BJP leaders said that they need more than 400 seats to change the Constitution of India, though BJP leadership said that they don’t have any such plan. The clarification was not believed by the people, since RSS-BJP clan has all along working on Hindutva line and they have a dream to make India a Hindu Nation, as against the present socialist, secular, and federal republic. BJP leadership has been talking for “One nation One election”, “One nation, one civil code”, and so on. PM Modi’s functional behaviour imply “One Nation, One Party, One Leader” the opposition allege.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has even appealed to the voters that it was their last chance to save democracy and the Constitution from the clutches of a despotic leader PM Narendra Modi, who delivered such hate speeches that no other prime minister earlier had said.
Hate speeches have been used in the 2019 election campaigns and also in the 2024 election campaign but at unprecedented frequency and high pitch. It is a serious threat to Indian society’s secular fabric.
Unprecedented level of joblessness was another important issue raised frequently during the election campaign by the opposition, while the BJP and NDA leaders claimed that they gave special focus on employment. PM Modi had said that he himself distributed appointment letters in employment fairs. Joblessness is indeed a serious problem facing the working class of India, along with the widening inequality. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that Modi’s policies are helping the rich only. It has been sharply brought in focus that only 20 big companies get 60 per cent of the wealth and 70 per cent of the income of the country. It was also pointed out that 80 crore people are dependent on free food grains to quench their hunger.
Whichever government takes oath after June 4 results, it should address such important issues to avoid the peril that the country is facing. (IPA Service)
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