Capitalising on protests by civil society, authors, historians, film-makers, and scientists against ‘growing intolerance’ in the country, Congress president Sonia Gandhi will meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday.
Sonia will lead a march of leaders from Gandhi Smriti to Rashtrapati Bhawan and submit a memorandum to the President, the contents of which are being readied at the Congress headquarters, if reports are to be believed.
The memorandum will reportedly ask Mukherjee to direct the Narendra Modi-led government to rein in his ministers, MPs, and other members who are trying to ‘create’ civil strife.
This is a throwback to March, when the Congress president lead a similar protest against reforms in the land acquisition bill. It is to be seen if other opposition parties join the Congress’ Tuesday march, in an act of putting pressure on the government, which so far battled protests with a straight face.
President Mukherjee has himself spoken about ‘preserving India’s plurality’ several times in the past, the latest of his speeches coming last Sunday.
He said on Sunday, “Our country has thrived due to its power of assimilation and tolerance. Our pluralistic character has stood the test of time… Multiplicity is our collective strength which must be preserved at all costs.”
In a latest development, that is bound to turn up the poll temperature, PM Modi said in a rally in Purnea on Monday that the Congress had no right to lecture the government on intolerance, and invoked the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, which took place under the watch of the Congress government.
In response to the PM raking up the 1984 riots, the Congress party criticised him in a news conference on Monday.
Party leader Anand Sharma said, “The PM’s frustration is conning out in election rallies. No mature PM rakes up 31-year-old issues. PM should remember Atal ji’s words for him, on following “Raj Dharma” when 2002 riots happened. He did not follow the Raj Dharma then, and is not following it now in 2015.”
“The Congress has always stood with and for the victims of ’84 riots”, he added.
One the government’s combative response to the artists, film-makers, scientists returning awards, he said, “Environment of intolerance created isn’t commented on by PM. People are expressing consternation from all sections of society. PM’s statement is politically motivated,a mischievous attempt to reopen the wounds of 31 years ago when India did suffer a tragedy.”
“Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the riots that followed definitely were tragic & have remained a sad chapter,” he added.