Continuous slander of political opponents may be the new normal, but it has terrible implications.
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THE most harmful effect of political leaders' persistent demonization of opponents is a decline in the public's faith in them. The PTI and other coalition partners frequently accuse one another of being avaricious, dishonest, and corrupt. Their leaders and spokespeople spend more time making these accusations than they do outlining their own programmes and goals for the public. The terms "daku" and "chor" are now so frequently used that they are deeply ingrained in all political parties' narratives. The constant defamation of political opponents may have become the new norm, but it has major repercussions. By associating the political class with scandal and financial fraud, language that is repeated by the media discredits the entire political class. Some leaders are said to have a Teflon quality since nothing bad can be said about them in the eyes of their followers, who are willing to ignore the truth even when it is shown to them. Th