Chidambaram expresses fear over growing intolerance

Former finance minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday expressed fear over the growing intolerance in the country, saying the major threat to India's democracy was "majoritarianism".

"I am worried about rising intolerance in the country. Scholars have been killed," he said at the Times LitFest being held in the capital.

The Congress leader also said there was no exaggeration of the debate on intolerance by the media as it was just doing its job.

"The media is just acting as a mirror and more and more people are looking at the mirror," he said, adding that banning things was not the answer to problems.

Banning cow slaughter was against the law as one could eat or sell it well within the law, he said.

The former minister also expressed regret over the Supreme Court's view on section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises sexual activity "against the order of nature".

"The Supreme Court has been illiberal on this. It (section 377) has no place in a liberal society," he added.