Of the many things the late Jyoti Basu taught me was that politics is the best way to serve the people. Today, unfortunately, politics has become service for himself or herself. Politicians are interested in attaining power and retaining it at any cost, whether through communal politics or personal attacks. It no longer depends on the principle of propriety. There is no approach to further the interests of the country. Nobody considers looking at problems from a national perspective; political parties are more interested in finding out how the problem can further their cause. The politics of reason and accommodation is no longer practised, and opposition at all cost, even to the extent of taking revenge, has become the aim. That is why even important pro-people issues are becoming matters of contentious debate. And as 2014 nears, we’ll certainly see greater inter-party rivalry and more shrill rhetoric. Narendra Modi’s comment’s only vitiated the atmosphere further. I think it would be tragic if Modi, who is a strong proponent of the two-nation theory, becomes the PM of our great nation.