Over the last couple of months, India has been deeply buried into the intolerance debate. The discussions got uglier with a few killings based on religious motifs. This in turn led to a wide range of protests by intellectuals, filmmakers, film stars and other concerned social activists. Meanwhile, the opposition parties tried to push the centre to a corner over the 'growing intolerance'.
However, the intolerance debate hardly rattled off the Telugu politicians. But here's the dynamic Guntur TDP MP Jayadev Galla who gave a superb speech on intolerance in the Parliament yesterday. In his 10 minute long speech, the MP started off by explaining how India as a country and its people were formed during the continental drift.
Explaining how India became home to people from other regions who entered the country through the mighty Himalayas, the Hind Kush Mountains and surrounding mountain ranges, Jayadev said that India has been a mixed race since centuries thanks to the entry of various races. Thus, India became a tolerant country many centuries ago.
The MP further said that Hinduim is the oldest religion in the world with its traces dating back to the pre-historic times around 5000 years ago. While Buddhism and Jainism were founded during the Hindu synthesis between 500 BC-300 BC, Christianity came to India in 50 AD and Islam in the 7th century. The Sikhism was formed in the late 15th century, said the MP.
Since then, India has has been known for its tolerance for ages with its people living in harmony, forgiveness and peaceful co-existence and being tolerant to each other's ideas, ideals and faith. However, this secular fabric of the country has been maliciously exploited through vote bank caste and religious politics by several parties for their political gains.
The well learned MP further stated that just like there is contradiction between two siblings in a home, difference are bound to arise when several religions co-exist in a vast country like India. "But people who are switching on the intolerance debate at a particular time for political gains and are switching it off once their purpose is solved. This is not acceptable," said Jayadev.