PM says pluralism one of India's social strengths

Even as the opposition gets ready to put Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government on the mat over “rising intolerance” in the country, Modi has gone on record to state that “pluralism” is one of India’s “social strengths”.  In a column written for a special issue of The Economist magazine, Modi says, “India has tremendous social strengths, including pluralism...”.

The issue, titled ‘The World in 2016’, is yet to hit the stands, but Modi’s statements were tweeted by the magazine’s Europe business correspondent Adam Roberts. Some of the others whose columns will be featured in the magazine include International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde and Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai.

Reiterating India’s diversity for the third time in the past fortnight, Modi has attempted to answer both international (including The Economist) and domestic media and critics who have lambasted the government for failing to rein in not just fringe elements but its own ministers and legislators.    

Roberts quoting Modi in the article tweeted, “There is a sense of great expectation from our government. Inevitably, some of these expectations run ahead of us.”

With just days to go before the COP21 Climate Change summit in Paris, Modi writes, “We are conscious that our growth...will have some environmental impact.”

INCIDENTS OF INTOLERANCE?

• Aug 30: Murder of rationalist MM Kaliburgi
• Sept 28: Lynching of Muhamad Akhlaq in Dadri, UP, on suspicions of storing beef
• Oct 1: Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma describes Dadri incident as “accident”
• Oct 12: Sudheendra Kulkarni’s face blackened by right wing groups for promoting former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book launch
• Oct 16 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, says Muslims living in India should give up eating beef
• Oct 22: Minister VK Singh dismisses killing of two Dalit children in Faridabad saying "If someone throws stones at a dog, the government is not responsible".

That the PM has had to assert his government's track record on defending pluralism in the country, was evident when Modi was grilled by the British press during his visit to the UK on the issue. Last week, addressing a mammoth crowd at Wembley stadium in London, Modi said, "India is full of diversity. This diversity is our pride and it is our strength. Diversity is the speciality of India."

Many have perceived this to be the refelction of a much chastised Modi after the BJP's humiliating loss in Bihar polls where the PM himself was the face for the party.

Foreign press including The Economist had largely been supportive of Modi's economic reforms agenda and job creation, but has of late been critical of the derailment of the development agenda. The magazine infact had described the Bihar loss as the "biggest setback" in Modi's career and ascribed the defeat to Modi's divisive election campaign, alleging that it had lowered the PM's prestige and standing.