Hate Speech By Leaders Not Good For Healthy Democracy, Says Rajnath Singh
Elections should not be contested and won by spreading hatred among people, the defence minister said.
Concerned over the deteriorating political discourse in the country, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and union minister Rajnath Singh has said elections shouldn't be fought and won by spreading hatred among people and there should be no place for “bitterness and acidic remarks” in a healthy democracy.
Expressing concern over hate speeches and personal remarks being made against each other by leaders of all political parties, Singh said there is no place for hatred in healthy politics and elections should not be contested and won by spreading hatred among people. “I myself never resorted to such tactics,” he said.
“Bitterness, acidic remarks and personal attacks against each other in speeches should be avoided. It is not good for a healthy democracy. Rather, there should be discussion, debates and even arguments on issues of public interest,” he said.
Singh, who has addressed more than a dozen political rallies in Bihar and is scheduled to address many rallies in the coming days, said the response he witnessed in his public meetings is highly indicative that the BJP-JD(U) alliance will win the elections in the state.
The alliance, in the Bihar assembly polls, will reap the benefits of effective implementation of the Central government's welfare schemes. At the same time the state government under Nitish Kumar has also performed well and the people will vote for it, he said.
Singh also rejected allegations of any hidden deal with Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party, saying the BJP believes in fair politics and doesn't play with the trust of the people.
Singh has twice been the BJP president and the party contested two Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and in 2014 when he was at the helm.
Currently the Union Defence Minister, Singh was Home Minister in the previous NDA government.