The general elections in India are underway and polling has already taken place in more than 100 constituencies, out of a total 543 seats. All political parties are upping the ante and are not leaving any chance to score political points against their opponents. This time the campaign has been very shrill, polarizing and often vitriolic. Apart from the usual communal and caste angles that remain the main talking points in the Indian elections, this time the attacks have got more personal and political parties have even appealed to the inherent patriarchal nature of Indian society to garner votes for themselves. In that case, no one has even come close to Samajwadi Party, especially its Chief, the former Chief Minister of UP, Mulayam Sigh Yadav.
During an election rally in Uttar Pradesh on 10th April, Mulayam Singh Yadav said his party would try to change the law on punishments for rapists after Indias ongoing elections as he spoke out in defence of three men who have been recently sentenced to death for repeat sexual assaults. Three poor fellows have been sentenced to death. Should rape cases lead to hanging? said the 74-year-old Yadav. His Samajwadi Party is presently governing the electorally crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, which contributes 85 members to the Lok Sabha.
They are boys, they make mistakes, he added in reference to the three who were sentenced to death by a court in Mumbai after they were convicted of taking part in two gang-rapes at the same place.
These comments were soon followed by more atrocious comments by Abu Azmi, the Samajwadi Party leader in Maharshtra. He called for rape victims to be hanged along with their attackers on the grounds that they had extra-marital sex.
Apart from the usual media outrage, twitter hash-tags and outrage by NGOs and womens activists, this matter seems to have already been brushed aside. In the electoral battle in India, where events are happening at such fast pace, these statements already seem to have passed into oblivion.
The tragedy of Indian elections is that despite an active election commission, all political parties and leaders always get away with the most obnoxious statements. Hate speeches and clear attempts at polarizing on communal and caste lines are an integral part of Indian polity and without a more powerful election commission, such attempts are not going to come to an end. Political leaders and parties indulge in such acts and speeches knowing well that there is a willing audience for that. Political statements like that of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Abu Azmi also cannot be understood in isolation. It is good to feel outrage about such comments and make ones displeasure known but one must also understand that politicians always play to the galleries, especially in the midst of a very hot and polarizing election campaign.
When Mulayam Singh Yadav unapologetically made these remarks in a large gathering, he clearly knew the audience and his electorate would not mind that. Infact his statement should be read alongwith the fact that, the Samajwadi Party manifesto makes it clear that they want to change the present rape laws in India. Samajwadi Party knows that there is a large section in its constituency who would appreciate what Mulayam Singh said in that rally. His statement is a reflection of the larger patriarchal and misogynist attitude that is prevalent not only in the state of Uttar Pradesh but the whole of India.
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