An illusion that divides

Every debate is recast in left vs right terms in the urban mindscape, but it is hard to tell one from the other

The closing debate of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) is the main event of the entire festival. The front lawn, the largest space in the festival complex, is always jam-packed with an engaged audience that listens as two teams of top-notch debaters discuss an issue of current importance. And then, the audience gets in on the act, asking questions to the speakers.

Though the debates always have an edge and the debaters can tear into each other, the hostility remains mostly at a civilised level of intellectual disagreement and banter. There are no hard feelings and the debaters walk off