Intolerance a curse we are seeing of late: Ratan Tata

Says we want to live in an environment where we love our fellow men, not shoot them

Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata has expressed his concerns over allegedly growing intolerance in the country, dubbing it "a curse we are seeing of late".

"I think everybody knows where the intolerance is coming from, what it is. Like many thousands, millions of Indians, one wants to see a country without intolerance," Tata told reporters Saturday night.

Minutes before, he had spoken against the "growing intolerance" in his address at the 119th foundation day function of Scindia School in Gwalior, endorsing Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia's views on the issue. "The Maharaja (Jyotiraditya) talked about intolerance. It is a curse we are seeing of late," the eminent industrialist said in his address.

"We want to live in an environment where we love our fellow men. We don't shoot them, we don't kill them. We don't hold them hostage but give a bit of ourselves, and we give and take," Tata added. 

Before Tata, Scindia in his address to the students said, "We want you to be winners. We also want you to be thinkers... and the hallmark of a civilised society is debate, discussion and disagreement."

An "environment of intolerance" was prevailing in the country today, the former Union Minister added -- "an environment in which each one of us is told what to speak, what to hear, how to dress, what to eat". 

Hitting out at the so-called "gau rakshaks" (cow vigilantes), the Congress leader said a crackdown on dissent was against the progress of society.