Amid a raging debate over intolerance, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday deplored “blatant violation” to the right to freedom of thought by “some violent extremist groups” and said it was an “assault on the nation”. He warned of dangers to the republic if there was no unity and respect for diversity, secularism and pluralism.
“The nation is deeply concerned at the recent tragic instances of blatant violation to the right to freedom of thought, belief, speech and expression in our country by some violent extremist groups,” he said.
“The assault or murder of thinkers for no more than disagreement with their views, or (of people) because of the food they eat, or their caste, cannot be justified on any ground. Nor can the suppression of the right to dissent be allowed,” he said at a conference ahead of the 125th birth anniversary of the country’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru in the national Capital.
The theme of the conference was ‘No peace without freedom; no freedom without peace: Securing Nehru’s legacy and India’s future; Agenda for Action’.
The two-day meet is being held at a time when the legacy of the first PM is under assault and in the backdrop of Dadri lynching case, beef row and other incidents. The incidents have triggered off an award-returning spree by litterateurs, artistes and filmmakers.
The senior Congress leader said all right-thinking people have condemned such incidents in the strongest term as an “assault on the nation”.
Unity and respect for diversity, secularim and pluralism are vital for the survival of the republic, he said, adding that peace is essential not only for human existence and survival, but also for economic and intellectual growth.
“Capital is likely to be frightened by conflict,” Singh, who is known as the architect of India’s economic reforms, observed in an apparent message to the Narendra Modi dispensation that is working hard to seek investment and promoting ‘Made In India’.
He said suppression of dissent or free speech poses a grave danger to economic development. “There can be no free market without freedom,” he said, adding that freedom is a foundational value that lies at the heart of the Nehruvian idea of India. “It is widely known that freedom feeds the soul and the heart. What is less appreciated is that freedom is also essential for economic development,” he said, noting that unimpeded flow and exchange of ideas are essential for economic prosperity.
Holding that there is no progress without opposition, he stressed that the prerequisite for innovation, entrepreneurship and competition is an open society and a liberal polity where individuals are free to pursue their ideas.
The former PM said secularism is an “article of faith” for the Indian Republic. Secularism protects the fundamental freedom of every citizen to faith, belief and worship. All religions are equally respected under the Indian Constitution.
“Religion is a private matter, in which no one, including the State, can interfere except to the extent necessary to protect the freedom of others. In a secular republic, no religion can become the basis of public policy or governance, nor can any religious belief be imposed on anyone,” he said.
Singh added: “This is indeed a moment in our history when all right- thinking people should come together and pool their wisdom, knowledge and experience to defend the core values of our republic.
Rejecting the campaign that the ideas and thought of the first Prime Minister were not relevant today, he said: “What greater tribute can there be to Nehru than that, over half a century after his passing, the centrestage of Indian politics is reserved for him? That not a moment passes when his ideas are either celebrated or opposed?”
BJP rejects Ex-PM’s description on recent violent incidents
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday rejected former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s description of the recent violent incidents as an “assault on the nation”, saying he should have realised that these took place in non-BJP ruled states and the Centre had nothing to do with them.
The party also deprecated the Congress over persistently criticising the Narendra Modi government over rising tolerance, accusing the Opposition of running a “poisonous campaign to malign” the country’s image due to its “intolerance” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Referring to Dadri lynching case and murder of MM Kulburgi, BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma said: “These incidents have nothing to do with the Centre. Blaming the Modi government for intolerance is just an excuse as it is basically the intolerance of the Congress to Narendra Modi that has made it run a poisonous campaign to malign India’s image. It would be good if Singh had been more specific about these incidents as it would have made it clear that they happened in states ruled by his party.”