Refuting the allegation of growing “intolerance” in the country by a section of the intelligentsia, Union Minister Uma Bharti said on Saturday that those who were returning their awards were themselves fuelling intolerance and maligning the country’s image.
“Those who are claiming that intolerance is increasing in India are inciting it. Their manufactured protests cannot harm Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the BJP, but they will end up maligning India,” Ms. Bharti said.
She was addressing the gathering at a party rally in Kolkata organised to observe the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Earlier this week, 10 filmmakers have returned their National Awards in protest against the recent murder of rationalists and appointment of small-time actor Gajendra Chouhan as Chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India. Several authors and even scientists have returned government awards.
The Union Minister dubbed the criticism of the Centre over the Dadri lynching case and the murder of rationalist M.M. Kalburgi in Karnataka a “conspiracy” to malign India and Mr. Modi.
“Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are not ruled by the BJP. Then why are we being blamed for the incidents and explanations are being sought from the Prime Minister?” asked Ms. Bharti. Not sparing the media, she accused it of “tarnishing” the country’s image for TRP. The Minister wondered where the protest of the concerned intellectuals was during the 1984 riots. She criticised the participants in a ‘beef eating’ event held in the city on Friday.
