By| The Editorial Board
The editorial board consists of opinion journalists who base their perspectives on expertise, thorough research, discussion, and established principles. It operates independently from the newsroom.
The Jammu & Kashmir Assembly witnessed an unfortunate breakdown of civility this week when Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik launched a verbal attack against former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, calling him a “broker” and dismissing his status as a martyr. He further questioned why Mufti’s daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, continued an alliance with the BJP after her father’s death — implying that the PDP was complicit in fostering instability in the region.
Disagreements in politics are not only expected but necessary. What is unacceptable is the descent into personal attacks and the careless rewriting of legacy to score political points. Mehraj Malik’s remarks crossed a line of decency and violated the basic etiquette expected of someone entrusted with representing the public.
The situation quickly turned volatile. Video footage shows Malik aggressively rushing toward the spot where PDP workers and party spokesperson Mohit Bhan were standing. In a space meant for debate and dialogue, his behavior signaled something far more dangerous — the potential for physical confrontation within the heart of the legislature.
The PDP’s sharp reaction was inevitable. Regardless of one’s political alignment, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s role in Jammu & Kashmir’s complex political history cannot be dismissed with a slur. Coalition politics often require compromise — a reality that may not sit well with all, but does not justify reducing a leader’s entire legacy to a pejorative.
This episode, however, is not about one man or one moment. It is emblematic of a broader crisis in Indian politics: the normalization of hostility, disrespect, and spectacle. Instead of raising the bar for public discourse, legislators seem increasingly content to trade substance for sensationalism.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which built its identity on clean and principled politics, cannot afford to remain silent. Its credibility depends on holding its members accountable, not excusing misconduct. Likewise, all political parties must reflect on the type of representatives they endorse — are they leaders or provocateurs?
Public office is a platform for service, not self-aggrandizement. If legislatures become spaces of confrontation and slander, then the people who look to them for leadership — especially the disillusioned youth of Kashmir — will only grow more detached from the democratic process.
What happened in the Assembly is not just a matter of etiquette. It is a warning — that if we do not reclaim the integrity of our democratic spaces, we may soon find them irreparably damaged.
