Letter to BS: Respect for dissent is an important pillar of democracy

This refers to the editorial “The ascent of civility” (December 16). During the campaign for the recent state elections and with the Lok Sabha polls due in a few months’ time, one saw and continues to see that the quality of public discourse has come down and it continues to slide further. It is disheartening to see such hostility in the campaign speeches. Debates and disagreements are natural. After all, there are two major political parties that are vying to woo the voters. The unfortunate truth is that the political arena has become another avenue for belittling others with innuendos