DANGEROUS NORMALISATION

A recent analysis by veteran journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, dubbed "DANGEROUS NORMALISATION," critically examines a concerning statement from Ritesh Tiwari, a newly elected BJP MLA in West Bengal. Tiwari explicitly declared to an audience, "They didn’t vote for me, I won’t work for them," openly conditioning his duties as an elected representative on voter support. This declaration, made post-elections, highlights a significant shift in the perceived obligations of public office and is framed by Sardesai as a troubling precedent in India's vibrant, yet increasingly fraught, political landscape. This incident underscores a dangerous trend of political polarization and the potential erosion of democratic accountability, wherein elected officials move away from the universalist principle of representing all constituents, irrespective of their voting choices. Such rhetoric risks normalising majoritarianism, where the concerns of minority or opposition voters are sidelined, undermining the very essence of an inclusive electoral mandate. The implications extend beyond West Bengal, challenging the foundational tenets of federalism and social cohesion in a diverse nation like India, potentially exacerbating societal divisions and setting a precedent for conditional governance.