Intolerance issue: Congress calls for President intervention

Expressing grave concern at the growing atmosphere of fear, intolerance and intimidation in the country being “deliberately created by sections of the ruling establishment”, the main Opposition Congress on Tuesday requested President Pranab Mukherjee to use the “political and moral” authority of his office to impress upon the Prime Minister that this is unacceptable.

The Congress party took out a protest march to Rashtrapati Bhavan from Parliament House on the subject. It was led by party chief Sonia Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Top leaders of the Congress, Leader of the Opposition, CWC members, AICC general secretaries, two chief ministers, former CMs, PCC presidents and MPs participated in the march and carried placards against the prevailing atmosphere.

Later, a senior Congress leader said the party will hit the streets on this issue in different states across the country. Asked if it would be raised in the Houses of Parliament in the Winter Session, he said the party would work out a strategy for the session.

Blaming PM Narendra Modi for his “silence” and holding his Cabinet colleagues responsible for creating such an atmosphere, the memorandum presented to President Pranab Mukherjee said, “The Prime Minister’s silence and inaction have only conveyed the impression that he condones all that has been happening.”

“Worse, his Council of Ministers continues to harbour individuals who are contributing heavily to spreading hate and divisiveness. No action has been taken against them for their provocative statements and actions.”

“The Indian National Congress wishes to express to Rashtrapatiji its grave concern at the growing atmosphere of fear, intolerance and intimidation in our country being deliberately created by sections of the ruling establishment. A sinister campaign has been unleashed to create social and communal tension and conflict with the objective of polarising our society and disturbing social harmony. The pluralistic character of our society and its rich diversity are under assault,” it said.

While expressing its gratitude to the President for having spoken out strongly and unequivocally against the forces of “prejudice, bigotry and intolerance”, the Congress expressed its deep regret that the PM had not deemed it fit to do so, the memorandum said.

“India is being set on the path of an illiberal democracy whose very spirit is sought to be snuffed out, a democracy where civil discourse is being vitiated and where intellectual freedom is being stifled. This is a matter of grave concern for every citizen and for all Indians. The Prime Minister’s silence and inaction have only conveyed the impression that he condones all that has been happening,” it said.

A delegation of 125 leaders of the Congress party met the President .

Later Mrs Gandhi told reporters: “Whatever incidents are happening in the country today are part of a well-thought-out strategy being adopted deliberately to divide our society.”

She said some outfits linked to the government, and some of them part of the government, are indulging in acts that are an assault on the multi-coloured culture and fundamental ideas of society and are fuelling intolerance. “The Congress party will fight these forces with all its strength,” she said.

Mr Gandhi also spoke to reporters.

Attacking the PM for his “silence”, the Congress vice-president said the PM does not believe it is necessary for him to speak on these incidents, while the President and the RBI governor have conveyed their concerns.

“The Prime Minister and the finance minister believe nothing is happening in the country and they feel everything is fine. This is the heart of the problem. These people believe in intolerance. Ideologically they are not tolerant. It is not a matter of just Congress party alone. It is a problem of every single Indian ... And the PM does not believe in that,” he said.

Asked about Mr Jaitley’s comment that the protests against intolerance are manufactured, he said, “Yes, the RSS and BJP people are manufacturing these incidents. The finance minister feels there is nothing going on. He should go to the villages and see what is happening.”

He attacked Union minister V.K. Singh, saying, “When two dalit children were burnt to death, he called them dogs. He should not be in the Cabinet.”

“Large numbers of people have made it clear that they are unhappy with the way this government views this country,” he said.

Mr Rahul Gandhi parried a question on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the wake of Indira Gandhi’s assassination.

The protest march covered more than a kilometre, from the Gandhi statue in Parliament House to the Presidential Estate on Raisina Hill. The march came against the backdrop of protests by artistes, writers, scientists, social scientists and historians over rising intolerance as reflected in the Dadri lynching, beef row and other such incidents.

The police barricaded the route and deployed a large number of personnel. Many Congress leaders were not allowed to march towards Rashtrapati Bhavan as the police allowed only a small delegation to enter it.

Notable among those present were Himachal CM Virbhadra Singh, Arunachal Pradesh CM Nabam Tuki, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress party’s leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, deputy leader Capt. Amarinder Singh, Mr A.K. Antony, Mr Sushilkumar Shinde, former Speaker Meira Kumar, and PCC chiefs Ashok Chavan, E.V.K.S. Elangovan, Pratap Singh Bajwa, Sachin Pilot and Ashok Tanwar.