The Assembly poll dates in five States have been announced, and have come soon after a historic ruling by the Supreme Court. On January 3, the apex court said that “religion, race, caste, community or language would not be allowed to play any role in the electoral process” and “should an appeal be made on any of those considerations, the same would constitute a corrupt practice.”

Playback to the 2015 Bihar polls, termed as the “worst political campaign in the State’s history.” About 37 FIRs were filed by the State Election Commission itself against political leaders for making ‘hate speeches’. In his speech at Forbesganj, none other than PM Modi, while pitting caste against religion to polarise votes, had taken a dig at Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, saying: “A ghost of reservation is being erected… a sinister plan is being made, conspiring to snatch 5 per cent reservation each from Dalits, Mahadalits, pichhdon and ati-pichhdon and give it to (members of) other religion”.

The poll panel also pulled up BJP president Amit Shah and Lalu Prasad for their choice of words. Shah had referred to Prasad as “ chara chor (fodder thief)’, and the latter tweeted back: “A narbhakshi (man-eater) and exiled should not teach good conduct to Bihar”. Shah had also said that if Nitish-Lalu win “firecrackers will be burst in Pakistan.”

The level of poll discourse in Bihar had plummeted to levels never seen in the State before. With Uttar Pradesh being as much a caste and religious cauldron as Bihar, it remains to be seen if the SC’s leash works this time. However, there is a thin line that the poll panel should keep in mind while following the SC ruling – parties and leaders raising issues of social discrimination should not be unfairly targeted. Caste assertion against injustice should be seen as a legitimate democratic right.

Aditi Nigam, Senior Deputy Editor

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