Intolerance a curse we are seeing of late: Ratan Tata

Business honcho and Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons Ratan Tata has expressed concern over the alleged growing intolerance in the country, dubbing it a curse we are seeing of late.

Tata told reporters recently that,

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

Minutes before, he had spoken against the alleged growing intolerance in his address at the 119th Foundation Day function of Scindia School here, endorsing Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia's views on the issue. The eminent industrialist said in his address,

The Maharaja (Jyotiraditya) talked about intolerance. It is a curse we are seeing of late. 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 hostages 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, Scindia said.

A crackdown on dissent was against the progress of society, the Congress leader said, while hitting out at cow vigilantes. Other Congress leaders came up in wide support on social media to support the business icon.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted in a veiled attack on the Modi government:

Intolerance stymies civilizational advance. Doyens of India Inc finally realize the source of 'curse of intolerance

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In another tweet, senior party leader Digvijay Singh also referred to Tata's remarks and endorsed them.

Spot on Mr Ratan Tata. Well spoken, Singh said in a tweet.