'Intolerance debate' manufactured by opposition for political gains: BJP

Backing the views of newly-appointed Chief Justice of India, T.S. Thakur on 'intolerance', the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said that the so-called issue was a manufactured debate aimed at gaining control ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

"Whatever the Chief Justice has said is absolutely right. There is no intolerance in the country. I believe that some people are trying to insult the nation using the so-called 'intolerance' issue. Some people are intending to divert the issue of development by raising the issue of intolerance," BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told ANI.

"In a nation of 121 crore people, some mishappenings or incidents do take place but that doesn't mean that the country is intolerant," he asserted.

Another BJP leader Siddharthnath Singh also supported Justice Thakur's statement and dubbed the debate of intolerance as manufactured keeping in mind the Bihar Assembly polls.

"Well it's a matter of fact what the Chief Justice has said and certainly in a country where the pillars of democracy like the court, the media, the federal structure, all these are independent and working in strengthening the democracy, how can there be intolerance," Singh told ANI.

"It is more of a manufactured debate of intolerance which was initiated particularly keeping Bihar elections in mind. Today, the Bihar elections are over and those who created this intolerance debate are not speaking about it," he added.

Justice Thakur has said that there might be political discussion happening over the intolerance issue, but people should not be afraid as the Supreme Court is present to uphold the rule of law.

"Debate on intolerance may have political dimensions but nobody needs to worry till the Supreme Court is here to uphold rule of law," he said.

The CJI also mentioned that India is a country where person of every religion has a right to stay and profess and practice their religion.

"This country is home to various religions. People from other parts of the world came and flourished here. See, Parsis came from Persia and have been living here since ages...there is nothing to worry," he said.