Make room for dissent, criticism, not intolerance: President on DU violence

Kochi: Speaking on the recent clashes between student wings at Delhi’s Ramjas College, President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said there must be space for dissent but not intolerance in India.

“There should be no room in India for intolerant Indian. India has been since ancient times a bastion of free thought, speech and expression,” Mukherjee said at 6th K.S. Rajamony Memorial Lecture in Kochi, Kerala.

“There must be space for legitimate criticism and dissent,” he added

Delivering a lecture on 'India at 70' today, the President also said that 'when we brutalise a woman, we wound a civilisation's soul', probably referring to the rape threats against martyr Gurmehar Kaur for taking an anti-ABVP stand.

"The acid test of any society is its attitude towards women and children," Mukherjee added.

However, he said that those in eminent universities "must engage in reasoned
discussion and debate rather than propagate a culture of unrest".

"It is tragic to see students being caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet. The temples of learning must be places of creativity and free thinking," Mukerjee said.