Pointless to expect BJP to abandon its brand of 'intolerance': Digvijay

Amid a raging debate in the Lok Sabha over growing intolerance in the country, Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday said that it would be futile to expect the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to abandon its brand of intolerance, which has been instilled in their minds from a young age.

"It is not possible to expect from the BJP that they would leave intolerance. Because they instill a feeling of hatred towards the minorities from an early age," Singh told ANI.

"So, as they grow up, this feeling settles in their minds, which is very difficult to remove. The intolerance is in their ideology. So it is not right to expect from them that they will give it up," he added.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had yesterday lashed out at Prime Minister Modi, saying he chose to remain silent over the killings of rationalist thinkers and the writers' protests over 'intolerance'.

The growing intolerance in the country has become a contentious issue in recent times with several prominent actors, artists, poets and filmmakers returning their national awards in protest.

Bollywood stars such as Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan had even drawn flak for voicing their concern on the issue.