India fourth most tolerant country, says survey
New Delhi, April 24: On the global map, India is fourth most tolerant country after Canada, followed by China and Malaysia, suggests a new survey.
The survey, conducted by Ipsos MORI, was carried out earlier this year in 27 countries for the BBC. In all, around 20,000 people were interviewed for the study that highlights the extent to which citizens think their society is divided.
According to the survey, 63 per cent Indians think that people in their country are tolerant of each other when it comes to people with different backgrounds, cultures or points of view.
On the other hand, Hungarians have rated their country as least tolerant followed by South Korea and Brazil which have been rated least tolerant by their people, of other cultures, backgrounds and points of view.
The survey found that in India, 49 per cent people think that difference in political views causes tension, followed by different religions (48 per cent) and socio-economic gap (37 per cent).
It also stated that 53 per cent Indians think that mixing with people of other backgrounds, cultures and points of view leads to mutual understanding and respect.
"76 per cent think that people across the world have more things in common than things that make them different. Agreement is highest in Russia and Serbia (both at 81 per cent) but lowest in Japan (35 per cent), Hungary (48 per cent) and South Korea (49 per cent)," the survey found.
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Annamalai's remarks about Mumbai misconstrued for political gains, says BJP MLA
Mumbai (PTI): BJP MLA R Tamil Selvan on Monday defended party leader K Annamalai's remarks about Mumbai, saying his statements, aimed at highlighting the city's global importance, had been deliberately misconstrued for political gains.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) last week demanded that Annamalai be arrested for his remark that "Bombay is not a Maharashtra city".
While campaigning for the January 15 civic body elections last week, former IPS officer and ex-Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai had said, "People want a triple engine government. This is the only metro city in the country where a triple engine is possible. Modi is in Delhi, Fadnavis is the chief minister, and now Mumbai will have a BJP mayor. Mumbai is not a Maharashtra city but an international city."
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Talking to reporters, Selvan, who represents the Sion Koliwada assembly constituency, said, "Our leader Annamalai described Mumbai as a city respected across the world. What he wanted to say was that Mumbai is becoming the world's number one city, mainly because of the blessings of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Be it the Metro project, road construction or the provision of services, Mumbai has emerged as an important city on the global front. Annamalai was talking in this context."
The BJP leader's words were being distorted for political gains, he said.
"How can anyone separate Mumbai from Maharashtra? Not even a prime minister will be able to do it. Annamalai did not say those words out of disrespect. He was only saying that Mumbai has a global identity," he said.
Responding to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's "Rasmalai" jibe at Annamalai, Selvan said, "Raj Thackeray is a senior leader, and many respect him. I still respect him, but he should respect others as well. I am also from Tamil Nadu, but I have won the assembly elections thrice with the support of around 90,000 Marathi voters. They did not see my background."
The BJP gives tickets to people who serve the society, he said.
Selvan claimed that he had worked extensively in Maharashtra, even in rural areas, and invoked icons such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Lokmanya Tilak in his speeches.
In a dig at his critics, the BJP MLA said, "Now people have seen who uses foul language against our chief minister, who works for the people's welfare. We oppose such use of foul language. CM Fadnavis will take appropriate action against such people."
