'Congress talking about intolerance is joke of century': Venkaiah Naidu

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said the Congress talking about intolerance is joke of the century, adding that the grand old party had maintained its studded silence on many incidences of growing intolerance in the nation.

"Congress talking about intolerance is joke of the century. Congress and its friends are intolerant towards the people's mandate. Congress was silent when Sikhs were massacred in 1984 genocide, their leadership justified it saying 'when big banyan tree falls, earth shakes'," Naidu said.

"Since independence, one line of thinking has been patronised in the name of one family. No other world view or perspective was allowed to express or grow. They are not ready to accept the other views emerging now," he added.

Naidu accused the Congress of trying to divide the society on the basis of religion in order to achieve political gains through their vote bank politics.

Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is expected to meet President Pranab Mukherjee this evening to highlight the 'growing intolerance' in the country.

The meeting assumes significance as President Mukherjee has used various platforms in the last two weeks to call for preserving the multiplicity and pluralistic character of the country. The President had in his messages earlier urged the nation to remain united against divisive forces and reminded that 'multiplicity is our collective strength which must be preserved at all costs.