Are we becoming intolerant as Ratan Tata says?

Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata, has expressed concern over intolerance in the country, dubbing it "a curse we are seeing of late

"I think everybody knows where the intolerance is coming from, what it is. Like many thousands, millions of Indians, one wants to see a country without intolerance," Mr Tata said.

Minutes before, he had spoken against intolerance in his address at the 119th foundation day function of Scindia School in Gwalior, endorsing Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia's views on the issue.

The Maharaja (Jyotiraditya Scindia) talked about intolerance. It is a curse we are seeing of late," the eminent industrialist said in his address.

"We want to live in an environment where we love our fellow men. We don't shoot them, we don't kill them. We don't hold them hostages but give a bit of ourselves and we give and take," Mr Tata added.

Before Mr Tata, Mr Scindia in his address to the students said, "We want you to be winners. We also want you to be thinkers...and the hallmark of a civilised society is debate, discussion and disagreement."

An "environment of intolerance" was prevailing in the country today, the former Union Minister added.

An environment in which each one of us is told what to speak, what to hear, how to dress, what to eat," Mr Scindia said.

A crackdown on dissent was against the progress of society, the Congress leader said, while hitting out at cow vigilantes.