Political campaigns in India lack maturity and a sense of decency: Chhokar

The ability of citizens to prevent unruly behaviour in Parliament is severely limited

In a democracy, the way politicians communicate on contentious issues is crucial as it helps build public opinion. Of late, though, the kind of language heard from our leaders is not just deeply divisive, but also in poor taste. Personal jibes and contempt have crept into daily discourse. Uttar Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s comments about an advertisement promoting wild donkeys in Gujarat is the latest example of such contemptuous public speech. JAGDEEP CHHOKAR, founder-member of the Association for Democratic Reforms and a former professor at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, speaks to Manavi Kapur about a new era in political