Debate on intolerance politically motivated, says RSS functionary

The Rashtriya Swayam Sevaka Sangha (RSS) on Friday said that the “intolerance”issue raised by the intellectuals in the country was politically motivated.

“The RSS sees it as intellectual intolerance. The problem lies among the intellectuals who do not want to allow  intellectual views of alternative ideology. The intolerance exists in a particular section of writers, not in the country as it has been portrayed by them,” said V Nagaraj, the RSS Kshetreeya Sangachalk for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He was addressing a press meet in the City on Friday.

Nagaraj said that the issue had been raised only to embarras the National Democratic alliance at the Centre.

He said RSS will not hold demonstrations against the State government’s celebration of  Tipu Sultan Jayanti on 10 November but will support those protesting against it.

Agitations warned
Sangh Parivar outfits have threatened to hold agitations and even disrupt the celebrations to be organised by the government at various places across the state on November 10. Nagaraj said Tipu was a very intolerant king and the RSS would support people protesting against the event.

He said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s food habit was his personal choice but his public statements on beef consumption hurt the sentiments of crores of people in the state. “Siddaramaiah has every right to eat whatever he wants. But, being the chief minister, he should think before announcing it publicly, hurting the sentiments of people”, Nagaraj said. Siddaramaiah, while speaking at a Youth Congress meet in Bengaluru last week, had said “If I want to eat beef, I will eat it. Nobody can stop me.”