Visakhapatnam: Political parties and their election campaigns nowadays do more harm to people than good in the long run, impacting them psychologically and adversely affecting society, point out psychology and psychiatry experts. From alcoholism at an individual level, to aggression and violence at the societal level, the negative implications of political campaigns are felt both at the micro and macro levels.Mud-slinging, hitting out at other parties on the basis of caste, community, religion rather than auditing social service or public works have become the criteria for garnering votes. In the long run, this kind of propaganda and divisional politics adversely affect democracy, causing disharmony, aggressive behaviour, violence and rift among the public, say experts.Professor MVR Raju from the department of psychology and dean of academic studies at Andhra University says, “Down the decades, there has been a huge paradigm shift in politics, ideologies and values – making it all about money and caste-community-region based. From educationists, social workers and visionary statesmen, politics and political parties are in the hands of businessmen, contractors or real estate sharks, whose claim to fame is primarily by playing the cash and caste cards. They lack ideology, patriotism, ethics, moral values and loyalty and shift from one party to another just to fulfill self-interest and are dominating the entire political spectrum.”“Corruption has become synonymous with politics these days. The free flow of liquor and quick cash to poor people to entice them into joining the mass gatherings of campaigners impact their health, prompting them towards substance abuse. Doling out incentives to the public to woo them on caste and religion basis by political parties is also negatively impacting the harmony and unity in a democracy,” he added. Psychiatrist and superintendent at Government Hospital for Mental Care, Dr S Radha Rani, said, “Definitely due to the free availability of liquor during this campaign season, the poor people get habituated to it and the potential for substance abuse enhances. Since they are not spending from their pocket but are getting it free of cost, the families do not bother to bring them to the de-addiction centre. Also, if the campaigns are more of a caste and community-based propaganda, or verbal attack on one another’s families on a personal level, the tolerance level in the society also comes down and more of violence, aggression among the public is noticed due to divisive politics and campaigns.”

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