India: Politics and violence

Political violence has become commonplace in various parts of the world, especially as it reigns supreme in India, the largest democratic country in the world.

It is the same country where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi preached non-violence. He had requested and rather warned Indians not to mix religion with politics, which could act as a heady mixture for violence. One feels that the ruling government of India cannot do much to curb this tendency, which is being encouraged by the petty and mindless political satraps of the country.

They hardly understand that it acts against the common welfare of India. They seem to ignore the immediate stress it creates in the country. Apart from religion, money has become an inseparable and disturbing part of Indian politics. There seems to be a common lack of good and selfless leadership.

The opposition in India, under the leadership of politicians Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, seems incapable of going anywhere near the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). People seem to be giving the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi all the support he needs.

The recent Karnataka elections must serve as a lesson to all other political parties, especially the Indian National Congress, which is under Rahul Gandhi. Unless they associate more with the masses as was done during the time of Jawaharlal Nehru, the party will fall to pieces. All these contribute to the frequent politically driven violence in India. Once a shining example of democracy, India has now become an unedifying spectacle of democracy.