“Agreements and disagreements are undoubtedly part of politics and so are the acrimonies and animosities but exchanging abuses is a bad trend that brings politics into disrepute.”
Ethics in politics seems to have lost its relevance in the fast changing political scenario more in Jammu & Kashmir than any other state or union territory of the country. The videos on political statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Z-Mohr tunnel inauguration uploaded by the party functionaries of the opposition political parties on social media sites show that civility has lost its all colours in politics. Not just today but even during the campaigning of the recent assembly elections most of the political leaders of some key regional political parties were seen using abusive words against each other and it heads to no dead end even this time. Agreements and disagreements are undoubtedly part of politics and so are the acrimonies and animosities but exchanging abuses is a bad trend that brings politics into disrepute. Politics is propagated for public representation but not for spreading canards. While pitching for restoration of the sanctity of the highest constitutional offices the leaders of J&K political parties don’t have the liberty to disrespect the people holding highest public offices in the Jammu & Kashmir Government. While political leaders sitting in the opposition have the liberty to question and condemn the policy decisions of the people in power but they are also morally bound to uphold ethics in public life. For all practical purposes institutions can’t be run and public delivery system can’t function well if people in the opposition don’t maintain ethics in public life. Popular Governments come and go but what matters is the working of the systems established for public welfare.
“Ethics allows the dissent and the protest but it does not allow incivility at public or private events. Democracy can be preserved and conserved by ethics but not by bringing down the standards of civility to a new low in public life. A capable opposition builds a healthy democracy but opposition members jumping to conclusions overnight and coming to abuses against their revivals are in one or other way subverting the morals, ethics and values in public life. Jammu & Kashmir had the reputation of preserving and conserving civility in public life for decades together but unfortunately political events that unfolded in last five years show political ethics in bad light.”
Questions can’t be asked for condemning and challenging the policy decisions of the Government but political leaders using abusive words against their rivals owe explanations to the people for bringing into disrepute the morals and ethics in public life. Ethics allows the dissent and the protest but it does not allow incivility at public or private events. Democracy can be preserved and conserved by ethics but not by bringing down the standards of civility to a new low in public life. A capable opposition builds a healthy democracy but opposition members jumping to conclusions overnight and coming to abuses against their revivals are in one or other way subverting the morals, ethics and values in public life. Jammu & Kashmir had the reputation of preserving and conserving civility in public life for decades together but unfortunately political events that unfolded in last five years show political ethics in bad light.
