In Search of New Norms of Politics

Political vendetta has increasingly become the mode of conducting politics all over the globe. India is no exception. The growing resistance and dissent voiced through petitions and other modes of protest by the civil society, human rights groups, and political leaders—particularly from the opposition parties—underscore the vindictive mode adopted especially by parties that have been in power from time to time. However, the focus of such protests is against the element of coercion and unfairness that are constitutive of vendetta politics.

Although, those who are the “victims” of such politics and those who come in support of such victims may have valid reasons to hold those individuals responsible who are resorting to wreaking vengeance on their political rivals. However, what needs to be stressed are the following questions: What are the consequences of political vendetta for those whose methods to deal with the opposition appear to be revengeful? And why is it the case that those who resort to such methods do not pay due attention to such politics that may involve costs and risks? Why do they calculate the costs only for their political rivals and, at the same time, fail to take into consideration that such politics would be risky for their political future as well? Why are they not aware of the possibility that such politics is likely to have adverse consequences not only for them individually or to their party but may have a corrosive impact on the constitutional democratic norms of politics itself?