‘When did we last say sorry?’ Gopal Krishna Gandhi on anger in India

Former West Bengal governor, diplomat and author Gopal Krishna Gandhi , on Thursday painted a sobering picture of contemporary India, warning that anger, retaliation and vendetta have increasingly come to dominate public discourse, while values such as honesty, apology and forgiveness are steadily disappearing.

Speaking at the 19th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival , Gandhi said the emotional climate of the country has undergone a sharp transformation over the past few decades. “Today, the dominant emotion in India is anger and retaliation. That was not so a generation or two ago,” he observed, adding that the urge to confront and humiliate one’s adversary has become a defining feature of public life.

Referring to media language as a mirror of this shift, the 80-year-old author pointed out the overuse of the word “slam” in news headlines. “Slam, along with scam and spam, are the three key words of our times,” he said, drawing laughter and applause from the audience. He remarked that if the word “slam” were a market commodity, it would be among the fastest-selling products today.

Gandhi warned that vengeance and hatred have become closely intertwined and are now easily packaged and sold in the marketplace of public opinion. He said animosity has emerged as a powerful and profitable emotion in politics and public debate. The frequent use of the Hindi word badla (revenge), he added, reflects how deeply this mindset has taken root.

Beyond vocabulary and headlines, Gandhi said the deeper loss lies in the absence of moral courage. “When did we last hear someone say, ‘I made a mistake’ or ‘I forgive you’?” he asked, noting that while mistakes are common, admission of fault is rare. Forgiveness, he said, is increasingly seen as naïve or bhola , and therefore as a weakness.

Drawing on history, Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and C. Rajagopalachari , stressed that apology and atonement are marks of strength, not weakness. He cited Emperor Ashoka’s remorse after violence, as well as modern examples such as apologies issued by leaders of Australia, Japan and Germany. “All these were strong leaders. Honesty, apology and atonement are not signs of weakness,” he said.

Concluding on a reflective note, Gandhi said the absence of these values is not limited to India alone but is a global phenomenon. “That is missing in our country today. That is missing in the world today. We know that all too well,” he said.