Sir — This refers to the editorial, “President, don’t preach” (February 9). A careful reading of the US President’s comments on religious intolerance shows how they also urged fellow Americans to introspect difficult issues like race and class. Two successive statements by the US President on religious intolerance in India has created a flutter. But the fact is that religious clashes in India have escalated to a distressing level, and bigots, for long confined to the fringes, are gradually advancing to the centrestage.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly made clear that he doesn’t want to be distracted from his economic agenda. But tolerance, though essential for growth, cannot be reduced to an instrument of growth. The coexistence of diverse traditions is an end in itself. The Constitution enshrines a set of fundamental freedoms and rights. The Government has a duty to uphold these. It should not only be fair but also be seen to be so, and publicly defence constitutional values.