Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a jibe at former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh on corruption was much below the parliamentary standards and the office he holds. Same was his comment on Aam Admi Party member of Parliament Bhgwant Mann on his drinking habits. One cannot fight corruption by getting into the ‘Nautanki’ style to appease voters in Uttar Pradesh neither is Parliament a platform from where the social evil of corruption can be battled. Corruption has been in the society from the day humans realised the power of this social malice to amass wealth by passing the legitimate route. What Modi wanted to convey to the election-bound Uttar Pradesh about Congress and its tainted past at times may boomerang on BJP as far as its electoral fortunes are concerned. Punjab too may have some adverse impact on the saffron party, where results are to be announced on 11th February. The trend has been AAP may make some more gains as compared to its maiden appearance during the 2014 elections. It was first time and the party sent Bhagwant Mann to Parliament. Modi’s criticism of Mann is nothing but a payback ritual as Mann has been a strident critic of Modi openly mocking him in public rallies but not in the Parliament. He has been critical of Modi’s speech which failed to address the core issue of farmers condition in Punjab. Modi’s Parliament drama looks as if he has been waiting to went his ire against Congress for quiet some time albeit the Gandhi family-Sonia and Rahul and Manmohan Singh became the default target. The point is why stoop so low? Parliament has been witness to healthy debate where both ruling and opposition leaders heard aptly and with respect. Criticism too was taken in a healthy way. It was Atal Behari Vajpayee who because of his statesman acumen was respected even by the ruling Congress leaders like Indira Gandhi when he addressed the House. This is also democracy. As Prime Minister Modi needs to restrain himself and not exhibit his oratorical skills. It looks Modi’s dream of capturing Uttar Pradesh is the sole target to consolidate the ‘Bhagwa’ vote against the Congress-Samajwadi Gathbandhan.
