Politicians have a tendency to politicize everything from tragedy to joy to their advantage. As India is heading for parliamentary elections next month, Indian politicians have even politicized Jai Ho, the popular song from the movie Slumdog Millionaire that won eight Oscars.

The song itself won one of the Oscars, prompting the two main political parties of India – the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP – to stake claim to it. Both the parties wanted to use it in the election campaign, but in the end, the Congress managed to buy the rights to the song from the T Series company.

An infuriated leader of the Hindu nationalist BJP and the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi said that it was due to the long rule of the Congress that people are forced to live in the slums.

Indeed, the film is about the urban poor of Mumbai, India’s financial capital. The film is based on Vikas Swarup’s novel Q and A and the story is about a slum boy who becomes a millionaire by using his common sense and experience while participating in the Indian version of the popular TV show: Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

He answers the general knowledge questions by following his instincts and using his memory of real life events. The story takes us through the miserable lives of the slum children, who are forced to beg on the streets and are systematically abused by criminals.

Modi is right that Congress has done nothing to eradicate poverty in its 50 years rule since the independence of India, but his party should also take some blame for not doing much either whenever it got an opportunity to rule.

The BJP gave slogans of "Feel Good" and "India shinning" in the previous election while rural India lacked for amenities and the slum dwellers suffered.

The film also shows how the central character loses his Muslim mother in religious violence at the hands of Hindu fanatics. Modi’s government was responsible for the 2002 anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat. How can he be selective in his criticism by blaming Congress for poverty and not saying anything about the victimizing of the Muslims?

The truth is that both the parties have failed to deliver in terms of the fair distribution of wealth among the marginalized sections of society. Instead of trying to steal a catchy song to outdo each other, these parties should try to be more inclusive in making economic policies rather than courting the rich and the wealthy.