Intolerance debate: FM versus RBI chief…It is, therefore, incumbent upon every well-wisher of India and the present government to make sure that no action or statement of his provides a tool in the hands of those who want to obstruct India’s growth story ,ARUN JAITLEY
New Delhi : It is an interesting divide that puts Union finance minister Arun Jaitley (the leading right wing spokesperson) against the Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, the highly rated central banker charged with the management of macro-economic parameters. An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Rajan delivered a politically robust convocation address calling for an end to vigilante acts in the pursuit of enforcing bans, saying that they will stifle progress. He said: Indeed, if what you do offends me but does not harm me otherwise, there should be a very high bar for prohibiting your act.
After all, any ban, and certainly any vigilante acts to enforce it, may offend you as much, or more, than the offence to me. Excessive political correctness stifles progress as much as excessive license and disrespect.” His comments come in the backdrop of beef ban and statements from the right wingers against rising protests from writers, artists, historians and scientists. He added: “A quick resort to bans will chill all debate as everyone will be anguished by ideas they dislike. It is far better to improve the environment for ideas through tolerance and mutual respect.”
Jaitley, who has been the government’s point person in the context of these attacks, resorted to a Facebook post to launch a counter attack. Though it did not mention Rajan, its broad sweep was all encompassing. He wrote, ‘‘While the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to accelerate India’s growth, there are many who have never intellectually accepted the idea of the BJP being in power. This obviously includes the Congress, many left thinkers and activists. Over decades they have practiced ideological intolerance towards the BJP. Since 2002, the Prime Minister himself has been the worst victim of ideological intolerance.” The finance minister further wrote: Their strategy is twofold. Firstly, obstruct Parliament and do not permit reforms which will bring credit to the Modi Government. Secondly, create, by structured and organized propaganda, an environment that there is a social strife in India. They wish to project India as an intolerant society. The truth is otherwise. Perpetrators of this propaganda never allowed alternative viewpoints to grow in universities, academic institutions or cultural bodies that they have controlled. Their intolerance extends to not accepting an alternative ideological pole. Dadri was a stray incident. It was both unfortunate and condemnable. The guilty will be taken to task.”
Interestingly both Rajan and Jaitley referred to India’s tradition of debate and an open spirit of enquiry. The RBI governor said: “Tolerance implies not being so insecure about one’s ideas that one cannot subject them to challenge. It implies a degree of detachment that is absolutely necessary for mature debate. You have to tread respectfully, assuring me that a challenge to the ideas I hold is necessary for progress.” The finance minister also said: “India remains a highly tolerant and liberal society. Our cultural values have imbibed co-existence. India has repeatedly rejected intolerance. It does not respond to provocations. It is, therefore, incumbent upon every well-wisher of India and the present government to make sure that no action or statement of his provides a tool in the hands of those who want to obstruct India’s growth story.”