Growing intolerance denting India's pluralism: Gogoi

In yet another attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday said the growing intolerance across India has dented the country's pluralism like never before.

Gogoi said that never before had incidents of intolerance and hatred affected the country so badly like the present chronology of events.

"Thanks to the president of India who intervened thrice in a short span of time to reinforce the country's plural character for living in peaceful co-existence. Joining the bandwagon RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and scores of writers, artistes and scientists fervently reminded the nation of the values of pluralism and peaceful co-existence," Gogoi said.

Congratulating all those who voiced their concern over growing intolerance, Gogoi said were it not for their strong and spontaneous protests, divisive forces would have been further emboldened to carry out their nefarious designs.

The chief minister also said that at the present critical juncture, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's advice of adherence to 'rajdharma' can bail the country out.

Referring to union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement that returning of awards was a "manufactured rebellion" and the personalities involved in it were "rabid anti-BJP elements", Gogoi asked why such incidents did not take place during Vajpayee's regime.

"Though it has become already too late, however, for the interests of the nation and for the sake of unity and integrity, adherence to 'rajdharma' by the Modi-led NDA government will be the only tool to bail the country out of growing intolerance and preserve the country's diversity, plurality and tolerance," he said.