With leaders quoting Duryodhana etc, are we fighting a modern-day election or a pre-historic battle?

New Delhi, May 08: As the final stages of massive Lok Sabha elections get going, the political discourse seems to have hit a new low. Personal attacks and besmirching seems to have taken a centre stage rather than issues. If PM Modi dragged former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's name and the Bofors scandal of his time into election campaigneering, Priyanka Gandhi and her party are focused only on retaliating rather than giving a vision as to how they would govern if voted to power. To highlight PM Modi's arrogance, Priyanka yesterday likened him to Duryodhana, a character from epic Mahabharata who is so obsessed with power that he resorts to unscrupulous means to get it. Characters from Mahabharata seem to be the flavour of the season. A few weeks back, Lalu Yadav's son Tej Pratap had called himself Lord Krishna and his brother Tejashwi, Arjuna. Sitaram Yechury had stoked a controversy by saying even Ramayana and Mahabharata were filled with instances of violence and there is no logic in saying that Hindus are non-violent.

All this likening of current leaders with characters from mythology may make headlines, but the election narrative as a whole is drifting away from real issues. Leaders must realise that it is the good governance that the people want, and not jingo loaded speeches which may draw applause but are less likely to translate into votes. Speaking on pressing matters and problems that the country faces should be the motive, and it would be better is the parties highlight how they would address these problems.

What is your say on the entire issue? Is tit-for-tat the right way to counter allegations? Has the political discourse sunk to all time low? What do you feel that the top leaders should be speaking on? Is a major course correction and introspection needed to fix jingoism that has hogged limelight than real issues?

Please let us know your views below.