SEAnews 2015-11-13 ArtNo.45535

【New Delhi】The tolerance-intolerance debate had taken a turn for the worse and finally resulted in a complete rout of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)in the Bihar Assembly polls.
　The Nitish Kumar-Lalu Prasad-led Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) won 178 seats in the 243-seat Assembly, an overwhelming majority. The NDA had won 31 of the 40 seats in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, which correspond to 172 of the 243 Assembly constituencies. However, it bagged only 58 seats this time.

　Prior to this, in view of the growing intolerance in the country, President Pranab Mukherjee on the 19th of October expressed his hope that Mahamaya – the combination of all positive forces would eliminate the Asuras or divisive forces on his official twitter. He asked, is tolerance and acceptance of dissent on wane? He, however said that Indian civilization has survived 5000 years as it has always accepted dissent and differences. Twitter adding that “We have a Constitution that accommodates all these differences”
　However, the tolerance-intolerance debate also took a somewhat comic turn, with actor Anupam Kher planning a march to the Rashtrapati Bhawan against artists and film-makers who had returned their awards as a protest against “growing intolerance” in India.

　Kher's decision came on the heels of some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders apologising for criticism of actor Shah Rukh Khan who had said the Indian society was becoming intolerant; while others insisting as vehemently that the Bollywood actor was allowing religious factors to cloud his judgment of Indian society.
　Even as BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayavargiya withdrew his tweet that said Khan’s soul was Pakistani, and apologised if his comment had hurt anyone, a mutinous BJP MP from Gorakhpur, Mahant Adityanath, said there was very little difference between the language used by Shah Rukh Khan and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba founder, Hafiz Sayeed who masterminded the Mumbai 26/11 attack.
　The defeat in the Bihar polls could make it harder for the central government to move ahead with its economic agenda. Former Union Minister Arun Shourie today (08-11-15) said Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Arun Jaitley should be held accountable for BJP loss in Bihar elections and predicted that the “silent non-cooperation movement” in the party against the leadership will now deepen. He said a “Modi-centric” campaign “lacked credibility” because of the unkept promises of the past and blamed BJP’s “divisive tactics” for the drubbing.

○EC diktat on paper ads after beef row

【Patna】A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) advertisement demanding an explanation from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over beef-eating remarks by his "friends" whipped up a row on Wednesday(04-11-15), prompting the poll panel to ban political ads in newspapers on Thursday (05-11-15), when Bihar votes in the final phase.
　Though BJP defended its action, saying there was "nothing wrong in it", the Election Commission banned publication of ads by any party or candidate in newspapers without those being "pre-certified" by an empowered media panel.

○Cong plans nationwide protests

【New Delhi】After petitioning President Pranab Mukherjee on “growing intolerance”, the Congress plans to take the protests nationwide with demonstrations in every district against the Modi government.
　The protests could reach its crescendo in time for the Winter Session of Parliament expected to begin on November 26 thus enabling the Opposition to target the government on the issue.

【News source】

BJP gets a taste of voter intolerance

Modi loses to Index of Opposition Unity

Two-thirds majority for Nitish-Lalu Grand Alliance

Grand victory for Grand Alliance

Nitish-Lalu deals humiliating blow to BJP

Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley responsible for Bihar election loss: Arun Shourie

Of ‘Mahamaya’, ‘Asuras’ And Eliminating Divisive Forces: President Mukherjee Tweets On Growing Intolerance In India

Award wapasi, intolerance mark debate in Bihar

Poll panel asks BJP to get ads cleared

EC diktat on paper ads after beef row

Cong plans nationwide protests

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