JAMMU, Sep 9: Former Minister and senior Congress leader Yogesh Sawhney on Wednesday criticised the BJP leadership for referring to opposition parties and political opponents as “naraz fufa”, saying that such remarks have no place in dignified public discourse and are inconsistent with India’s cultural tradition of respecting family relationships and elders.
Sawhney said India’s cultural ethos of respect, restraint, hospitality and regard for relationships is known and admired across the world. Political leaders, he said, should uphold these values instead of turning family relationships into subjects of ridicule for political purposes.
He criticised what he described as a growing tendency among BJP leaders to make personal remarks, mock relatives and bring family relationships into political discourse. Sawhney said political differences should never be an excuse to abandon basic manners, dignity and respect.
“There is a difference between criticism and personal humiliation. One may disagree with someone politically, ideologically or personally, but that does not give anyone the right to mock their relatives, ridicule their relationships or deliberately cross the boundaries of decency,” Sawhney said.
He maintained that political disagreements should be addressed through issues, facts and arguments, rather than personal attacks or ridicule. According to him, bringing relatives and family members into political criticism does not strengthen an argument but instead reflects a lack of maturity and restraint.
“Respect for relationships is not a favour that we extend to people we agree with; it is a basic principle of civilized conduct,” Sawhney said, adding that public life demands greater responsibility because words spoken by public figures can have wider consequences.
Sawhney appealed to political leaders and public figures to maintain dignity in their interactions and distinguish between legitimate political criticism and personal attacks.
“Do not make relations and relatives the subject of ridicule simply to score a point or settle a personal disagreement,” he said, stressing that political and ideological differences can be discussed without crossing the boundaries of decency.
He further called for preserving basic respect in public discourse and urged political leaders to remember that behind every relationship are individuals with their own dignity and sentiments.
“Differences will always exist, but manners, restraint and respect should never disappear because of them,” Sawhney said.