Lok Sabha to discuss incidents of intolerance today

Replying to the two-day debate in the Lok Sabha over “intoleran-ce”, Mr Singh, in his 40-minute speech, said India was a most tolerant nation and urged intellectuals and artistes who had returned their national awards in protest against incidents of intolerance to take them back.

The Home Minister, on his part, expressed his disappointment over the CPI (M) leader’s remark, saying he has never been hurt as much as today in his entire parliamentary career.

“Either Salim should prove the allegations he made or he should resign”. “A home minister who makes such a statement has no moral right to be the home minister…”

Referring to the controversy of alleged statement of Union Minister V K Singh, the Home Minister said he has already spoken to him (V K Singh) and he told him that his statmenet was “twisted”. “People know Rajnath Singh can never make such a statement”.

Salim, who initiated the discussion, attacked the government and said objectionable remarks had been made by some ministers.

But the session saw a fierce row after Mohammad Salim passed a controversial comment attributed to Home Minister Rajnath Singh after which the house was adjourned.

Rajnath Singh said: “The country will decide who is intolerant”.

“It is not our intention to denigrate the home minister or Parliament”.

The Congress party’s KC Venugopal accused the government of “politics of communalism” and using Hinduism for political interests.

When the BJP members demanded withdrawal of the remarks by Salim, he said he had only quoted from an article in a publication.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said Modi’s remarks in his “Mann ki Baat” radio programme on the land bill and the extension to the committee are contrary in nature and could lead to confusion.

“I was ready that if the state government would ask for probe by the CBI, I would allow it”, he said. He added that the remarks were made at an internal meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

About the recent incident at Kerala House where police entered the premises following a complaint that its canteen served beef, Lekhi said if the police had not acted, then “Dadri-like incident could have happened (there)”. Movie star Aamir Khan produced a storm by commenting on a sense of growing disquiet over incidents and sharing that his wife Kiran Rao had said about moving out of India for the safety of their child.