The menace of intolerance

In a democratic country like India, coordination and cooperation among all -- mainly among the ruling party, opposition parties and the media -- is very essential for good governance. But the elected people’s representatives sent to the highest Houses in the country/States have no ideology on such behaviour. However, the situation was different in the 19th century. Today’s Opposition parties in the Parliament and the electronic media raise the negative aspects only but keep mum on the development initiated. They disseminate all the cooked stories and theories in the electronic media. These parties forget what they did during their tenures and what they can do now for the development of people. They should accept why they have been rejected by voters, and rectify their wrongdoings. Instead of this they gossip and comment on cooked propaganda with bitter unparliamentary words in public places. Thus, intolerance is spreading in society from people’s representatives and ultimately to the streets. The ruling party should have the courage to think that a particular policy adopted by them may not be acceptable to a region but which may be welcomed by other regions. India is a vast country with different languages and cultures, and have different local problems. Therefore, we now need the presence of wise, broad-minded, educated policymakers who can think above politics, vote-banks and powers. It is the need of the hour.

Prasanta Baruah,

Guwahati