Negative Campaigns by BJP, Congress: Impact on Marginalised Communities, Democracy

Asia News Agency

Negative Campaigns by BJP, Congress:  Impact on Marginalised Communities, Democracy

Both, the BJP and the Congress, along with their allies, are heavily resorting to negative campaigning. Such campaigns not only have an impact on voting behaviour but also have long-term differential effects on marginalised communities. Arvind Kumar (Assistant Professor in the Department of Law and Criminology, Royal Holloway, University of London) examines the “underlying assumptions behind the politics of fear in the ongoing election, their impact on voting behaviour, and future consequences on marginalised communities, particularly Muslims and Dalits. It hurts them badly in terms of long-term policy measures…..The negative emotions and fear whipped up in this campaign are assumed to play a very significant role in shaping the decision-making capacity of citizens, especially how they vote.”

The negative emotions can be seen, writes Kumar  “in the dominant electoral narrative of Opposition parties—that the victory of the BJP would bring fascism to the country and undermine democracy. The Opposition has also alleged that if the BJP comes to power again there is a threat to the Indian Constitution, free and fair elections, and reservation. Opposition parties have further alleged that the BJP would replace the Indian Constitution…... These allegations…are designed to evoke negative emotions such as fear, anger, and rage among Dalits, Muslims, women, and Backward Castes.”

BJP’s response to the Opposition’s allegations of it undermining the Constitution, democracy, and reservation “also invokes negative emotions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has alleged that the Congress party is planning to end SC/ST/OBC reservations and give them to Muslims….. BJP leaders have also alleged that the Congress party is planning to redistribute wealth to Muslims…..”

 

Sidelining of core policy issues

The ongoing negative campaigns and counter-campaigns, emphasises Kumar  “have resulted in the sidelining of core policy issues and promises that parties are making to the voters. The manifestos of other parties—apart from BJP and Congress—are nearly absent from public debate. Election campaigns devoid of policy debate are gradually becoming serious concerns for democracies around the world, and this is visible in India. Negative campaigns play a significant role in this shift.”

Impact on marginalised communities

The impact on marginalised communities, states Kumar  “starts with changes in the way they vote. Muslims are one such group in India that votes strategically, often voting for the Opposition candidate who can potentially defeat  the BJP candidate. Such strategic voting behaviour is harmful to the communities in two ways. First, it can reduce the representation of such communities in the legislature. If parties know that the community’s concern is to defeat a particular party, they will nominate candidates who can defeat that party, rather than candidates from that community…….

“Second, strategic voting behaviour can make parties think that such communities are not concerned about policies. As a result, parties might avoid offering policies that can materially benefit them……”

Psychological impact on Dalits

The issue of negative campaigns and counter campaigns, such as ending reservation and changing the Constitution, argues Kumar “can have a severe psychological impact on Dalits who are gradually becoming part of mainstream society because of constitutional measures such as reservation. This community has long faced untouchability, and the stigma of it has damaged their self-respect and self-esteem.”  However, Kumar  finds that negative campaigning is “impacting the Dalit middle class in such a way that they are becoming disinclined towards education and jobs……The growing fear, anger, and anxiety might turn Dalits into a community that votes strategically, like Muslims; devoid of consideration for material empowerment and representation. Such transformation might be dangerous for Dalits in their growth and empowerment in the near future.”

In the end, negative campaigns “are not only bad for Indian democracy but also detrimental for Dalits, Muslims, and other marginalised communities…..”