Intolerance debate seems politically motivated : Babul Supriyo

The entire debate on the issue of intolerance seems "politically motivated", Union Minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo said here today.
He said the fact that people are voicing their protest or opinions is proof that there is no intolerance as such.
"Where has this word intolerance come from ? Who coined it? There have been some stray incidents but how is the Centre to be blamed for law and order issues arising mostly in the states?
"As things are projected it seems it could be politically motivated," the Union Minister of State for Urban Development said on the sidelines of MCC Chamber of Commence and Industry.

Making an indirect reference to the opposition, Babul Supriyo said "The irony is the argument on intolerance comes from those who were in power at the time of 1984 Sikh Riots and when Kashmiri pandits were driven out of their homeland.
"Where was the question of intolerance then? Why were everyone silent at that point," he argued.

Union minister for MSME Kalraj Mishra, who was also present at the programme, declined to comment whether the debate was politically motivated.
"I will not comment on this," he said when asked whether it is politically motivated.
On returning of awards by artists and intellectuals, Babul Supriyo said return of awards have become "more of a fashion" rather than a "mark of protest".

"Interestingly, many people did not even know the names of the people who got these awards until they returned it," he maintained.
The awards were given mostly by autonomous and Independent bodies and instead of returning the awards, intellectuals should have come to the Centre to "sit and discuss" and come out with a "constructive solution", Babul Supriyo.
Supriyo, however, distanced himself from the comments made by BJP leaders and functionaries who had criticised Shahrukh Khan and his comments on intolerance.
According to him, every party has different leaders who have their own opinion. "Not necessarily they speak the opinion of the party.