JD (U) wants Modi-Nitish debate on reservation

Janata Dal (United) national spokesperson K.C. Tyagi on Saturday invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a debate with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on the issue of reservation.

"I request Prime Minister Modi for a live debate with the Bihar Chief Minister on reservation so that the nation comes to know about their respective stand on the issue.

Earlier, Nitish had said he was ready for a debate with Prime Minister Modi on the issue of reservation, asking the Prime Minister to stop misleading people and adding "communal colour" to the Bihar Polls.

Stating that President Mukherjee, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, international expert Moody, Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and others are worried over growing intolerance in the country, Tyagi said, "Prime Minister Modi's encouragement to such incidents or keeping mum over such issues is dangerous for national unity."

Protests by writers, scientists, intellectuals, historians and others over growing intolerance in our society was new to Independent India, he said, adding that the President had shared his worries over growing intolerance many a times.

Speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology here during a convocation programme, Rajan said, "Tolerance and respect lead to good equilibrium, where they reinforce each other. Tolerance can take offence out of debate, and instil respect. Quick resort to bans will kill all debate as everyone will be anguished by ideas they dislike."

While suggesting that it is far better to improve the environment for ideas through tolerance and mutual respect, the RBI Governor said, "Tolerance means not being so insecure about ones ideas that one can't subject them to challenge."

Bihar goes to the fourth phase of polling on November 1, the campaign for which has already been ended. The fifth phase of polling will be on November 5, while the result will be declared on November 8.