Rotten POLITICS: Making Sushant’s death a matter of poll campaign in Bihar is new low for Indian politics

The state DGP made crude remarks on actress Rhea Chakraborty, against the backdrop of her comments on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

If it wasn’t bad enough that social media and news (primarily TV, but some print and online media organisations included) turned Sushant Singh Rajput’s death into a national debate and a cottage industry of half-truths, insinuations and hounding, politicians are also now using the actor’s death to generate political mileage for the coming Bihar elections. The deceased actor was from Bihar.

The state DGP made crude remarks on actress Rhea Chakraborty, against the backdrop of her comments on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Then, there was the episode of the Bihar police team not being allowed to conduct its probe in Mumbai. In between, there have been numerous instances of political rumour-mongering over the actor’s death.

Now, the BJP has allegedly put up posters of the dead actor claiming it will get justice for Sushant to fuel support. It is indeed difficult to determine which is more shameful: parties using an actor’s suicide to play politics or the fact that the news media has turned the tragedy into a farce at a time when the pandemic is raging, the GDP has dipped to an all-time low and floods have recently ravaged Bihar.

Some would say the people are as much to blame as the media and politicians are—one can always say that politicians are pandering to the popular opinion. However, it is the job of the politicians to draw the attention of the country to issues that can help improve governance. As it is, Bihar elections are going to be a test for democracy as most of the campaigning is to be done via online channels, which, in the past, have been used to promote fake information. If politics over an actor’s death is going to be the discourse for Bihar elections, then no matter which party wins, it will be a loss for democracy.