Argument acceptable, not intolerance, says President

 President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday put a premium on debate and discussions, exhorting the student community to be argumentative, but not intolerant.

Referring to first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru as the one who built modern India, Mukherjee said he had helped build an atmosphere of free debate and discussions, and not conflict and confrontation.

“As Amartya Sen had said, an Indian can be argumentative, but not intolerant,” Mukherjee said at the 52nd annual convocation of IIM Calcutta.

“India is a land of tolerance, land of Buddha, land of Chaitanya, but not land of intolerance,” he said, adding, “Please excuse me if I have hurt any sentiment by saying so.”

The President also made the point that management education, in order to be world class, needs to be able to embrace contrasting pedagogical approaches, multi-disciplinary allegiances, contemporary skills and capabilities.

“A plural mode of thought leadership in education enables the simultaneous pursuit of multiple paths to excellence,” Mukherjee stressed.

Such plurality is evident in the priorities and practices of IIM-C, Mukherjee pointed out, saying the institute has shown the way and it will assume leadership in innovative refinements in pedagogy.