Lucknow: Accusing Congress of "defaming" th ecountry, the BJP on Thursday charged the party with "deliberately creating a propaganda of intolerance" at a time when most nations are backing India for a permanent seat in UN Security Council.
"At a time when most of the countries are backing India for a permanent seat in UN Security Council, Congress is deliberately creating propaganda of intolerance and spreading a canard in the country," BJP National Spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said.
"Where is it (intolerance)? Is it more than during Narashima Rao's regime. There used to be communal tension during former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi's time. Now there is communal harmony, which is not going down well with some persons," he told reporters.
Hussain said his government has made it clear that whosoever wants to debate these issues, they should come to Parliament and debate.
"Congress, while opposing BJP, is opposing the Government of India and while opposing the government, it is hell bent on defaming the country. Therefore, I want to tell those who are trying to defame the country, that India is not such a place as people here live together in peace and harmony... the harmony which is visible in Narendra Modi government was never seen before," he said.
He said it was his appeal to Congress that it should not defame the country while opposing BJP and the government and added that people should stop defaming the country for personal interests.
"The spate of returning of awards which existed before Bihar polls, thankfully has stopped. Now none is returning awards," he said.
Hussain said he was proud that such a large number of Muslims live in India and minorities across the world should learn a lesson. "I had repeatedly said that Muslims could not get a better country like India and a better neighbour like a Hindu. Here two big populations live with so much harmony is an example," he said.
He alleged that some people were hatching conspiracy to disturb Ganga-Jamuni tezheeb. "Those, who are spreading canards, are insulting India and no person has the right to do so. The need is that they should not defame the country for personal interests," he said.
He said today there was a good atmosphere in the country and the government was working on the agenda on 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas'.
