Narendra Modi attacks Election Commission: Does BJP's rhetoric betray weakness?

Any unreasonable attack on an institution like the Election Commission (EC) is detrimental to democracy. Criticism is often needed to maintain the system of checks and balances within the polity. But for a prime ministerial candidate to allege there is mala fide intention in the EC's “failure” to check alleged rigging in key states is quite another thing.

Narendra Modi, while launching this attack on the EC, iterated that he was aware this was a serious allegation and even went on to challenge that a case be filed against him. At the very least this is unseemly, coming as it does after the EC ordered action against Modi for an alleged violation of electoral laws.

Why does Modi invite comparison with Mamata Banerjee for his treatment of this constitutional body? It takes no rocket scientist to realise this has been progressively — or regressively, to be more precise — an election marked by communal rhetoric and personal insults traded across parties.

People from various parties crossed the limits of public decency in their utterances. But, with the perception of being a front-runner, Modi would arguably need to display the depth and vision the nation would like to see in a future PM. But rhetoric on illegal immigrants and creating a differentiation between those who “observe Durgashtami” and “infiltrators” does not offer solace on concerns of deepening polarisation.

Modi's right-hand man, Amit Shah, on his part, did not cover himself with glory by calling Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh a “base of terrorists”.

Why does a party that believes it is about to come into power make such statements? The allegation of rigging in polls makes it seem independent observers — including the media — monitoring the elections are not doing their job. And, together with the statements that seem to add to polarising rhetoric, it could possibly be seen as a sign of some unease about what the eventual results might be.

The BJP believes it is going to win. The degree of statesmanship and of magnanimity grows, as confidence rises. The present turn of phrase from the BJP goes against that grain.