Former PM Manmohan Singh says unpleasant trends of intolerance, polarisation can damage our polity

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said “unpleasant trends” of growing intolerance, communal polarisation, and incidents of violent crimes propelled by hatred of certain groups will damage our polity.

Remembering former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 75th birth anniversary, he said these trends are repugnant to promotion of peace, national integration and communal harmony, which are cherished objectives enshrined in our Constitution.

“All of us need to reflect on how we can contribute to arresting these trends,” he said.

Recalling Rajiv Gandhi’s words, Singh said, “Nothing is more important than the unity and integrity of our nation. India is indivisible. Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood. It implies more than tolerance. It involves an active effort for harmony.”