: Oscar Fernandes, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member, said on Friday that the incidents of intolerance and unrest in different parts of the country had gone up in the last 15 months.
Mr. Fernandes told reporters here on Friday that the murder of two Dalit children in Faridabad and the lynching of a Muslim youth in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, required a sensitive and humane approach. The bashing up of two Muslim youths in Mumbai by the police also showed intolerance.
Such incidents cause concern. President Pranab Mukherjee had expressed his anguish on this, and had stressed on the importance of plurality. This message had to be taken seriously by all political parties and leaders.
“Political parties and leaders should be cautious in reacting to such incidents, wherever they happen. Even after the President’s message, such incidents are taking place,” he said.
Mr. Fernandes said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not speaking against incidents of intolerance. It was only after Mr. Mukherjee’s statement that Mr. Modi was forced to react. Besides these incidents, unrest unrest was increasing in regions such as Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. “If nation has to develop and progress, it requires peace and communal harmony,” he said. “It is necessary to take everyone together and make everyone feel that they are one and united. Your (government’s) attitude and approach is important while dealing with these (sensitive) matters. Here, the leadership (of the Centre) is found wanting,” Mr. Fernandes said.
Asked if the incidents of intolerance would impact the Bihar Assembly elections, Mr. Fernandes said that the results would have an impact. It was likely to go against passivity of the Prime Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said.
‘Political parties and leaders should be cautious in reacting to such incidents, wherever they happen’
