Hyderabad: Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said intellectuals complaining of "growing intolerance" can openly challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi on any policy, but they should desist from spreading "misinformation" that hurts the country.
Noting that the writers and intellectuals returning their awards or speaking about "growing intolerance" have a right to do so, Naidu, however, asked why they were silent during the Emergency or anti-Sikh riots in Delhi 31 years ago.
Why their "conscience did not awaken" during Emergency (1975-77), during massacre of 3,500 Sikhs in Delhi in 1984, when three lakh Kashmiri Pandits were driven out of their homes and when fellow writer Taslima Nasreen was attacked in Hyderabad a few years ago? he asked.
"There is no answer when asked why they did not respond when terrible things happened earlier in the country," Naidu said, delivering a talk tonight on 'why the so-called intellectuals silent then and violent now'.
The intellectuals can challenge the NDA Government on policies instead of spreading "misinformation" that hurts the country, the senior BJP leader said. "You can come and openly challenge Modi. You can say your policy is wrong and this is good. But, taking cover under this (issue of intolerance), spreading misinformation against this government, you are trying to defame the country and you are doing this with political motives. This is the debate going on in this country," he said.
He wondered whether "isolated, stray" incidents happening at different places need to be glorified.
"Should we highlight them? Should we glorify them? Should we take them to such a level and focus in the world as if there is no secularism, there is no democracy, there is no protection to people. Is it the way to do? What is the purpose? What is the motive? There is a need to ponder over these issues," he said.
He referred to news articles that asked whether prestigious awards like Oscars are returned or the President is blamed for crimes related to race happening in the United States.
In India, however, Prime Minister Modi is expected to respond on all such issues, Naidu said. Referring to killing of Kannada scholar M M Kalburgi in Karnataka and the Dadri incident in Uttar Pradesh, Naidu said the Congress leaders who complained to the President on alleged spike in intolerance should first go to the Raj Bhavans of the states concerned.
Except some personalities like Ramnath Goenka, many intellectuals supported imposition of Emergency, but local incidents are taken to international level now, he alleged. Development would firmly remain the agenda of the NDA Government and there is no question of deviating from that, the veteran BJP leader said.
Disapproving of the controversial comments made by some BJP leaders, he said the party would rein in them. "Those who speak loosely, they need to be controlled and party will control them..."
The Prime Minister has also expressed concern on incidents of disharmony "umpteen number of times", the Union Minister said. "Their idea is that Prime Minister should speak everyday and it should become international news," he said.
The "orchestrated campaign" on alleged intolerance could be happening because of the Bihar Assembly elections, he claimed.
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