Karti says growing polarisation has lowered the quality of debate
MP Karti Chidambaram with Editorial Director of NewsX Priya Sehgal (Photo: File)
NEW DELHI: Congress Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram said he has no regrets about not knowing Hindi, stating that he never had the opportunity to learn the language and that there was no necessity for him to do so.
“I don’t regret it, but I never had an opportunity to learn it, and there’s no necessity to learn Hindi,” Chidambaram said while speaking at the India News Manch conclave organised by the ITV Network.
Speaking on parliamentary politics, Chidambaram said growing polarisation has significantly lowered the quality of debate in Parliament. He observed that unlike earlier governments, where informal backchannel communication existed to resolve disagreements, such mechanisms have now disappeared. He attributed this breakdown to excessive centralisation of power and a growing lack of political trust on both sides of the aisle.
He further noted that politics has become increasingly personal, largely driven by the influence of social media. According to him, this has created a misleading perception that leaders from opposing parties are hostile towards each other even in their private lives. He said the earlier culture of camaraderie and mutual respect in Delhi politics, despite sharp ideological differences, is gradually diminishing.
Commenting on the ongoing winter session of Parliament, Chidambaram described it as underwhelming, saying there has been an excessive focus on historical narratives and symbolic issues while pressing contemporary concerns have been sidelined. He criticised the government’s repeated attempts to rename existing welfare schemes such as MGNREGA, calling the exercise expensive, unnecessary, and indicative of political insecurity.
Despite enjoying a comfortable majority and being in its third term, he said the government appears reluctant to tolerate dissent or opposing views. He stressed that the true measure of governance lies in whether the everyday lives of citizens are improving. He pointed to unresolved issues such as multiple KYC requirements, complexities surrounding credit scores, and proposed SIM-binding rules, warning that these could disrupt digital communication and adversely affect small businesses.
On political alliances, Chidambaram said the Congress remains firmly committed to the INDIA alliance in Tamil Nadu. While acknowledging that the BJP commands a significant vote share, he noted that votes do not always translate into seats. He added that alliances are dynamic in nature and evolve based on political circumstances and regional realities.
Addressing social media allegations, Chidambaram dismissed several claims as absurd, citing a rumour that he owns 24 properties in 25 countries.
“One property would have to lie on the border of two countries for that to be true,” he said, calling the allegation baseless.
He also rubbished claims that his family grows cauliflower in pots, clarifying that they cultivate asparagus. He added that such rumours thrive in a small, algorithm-driven social media ecosystem that reinforces preconceived views.
