Former prime minister Manmohan Singh voiced concern over the growing incidents of intolerance and violence and the damage it can to the polity.

Speaking at the 75th birth anniversary of the former prime minister and Congress leader, Rajiv Gandhi, Singh said on Tuesday that the country has been witnessing “some disturbing trends” over the past few years.

“These unpleasant trends of growing intolerance, communal polarisation, growing incidence of violent crimes propelled by hatred of certain groups, and of mobs taking the law into their own hands can only damage our polity,” said the veteran leader.

Such incidents are “repugnant to the 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,” said the economist-turned-politician.

The function was organised here by Kerala-based Rajiv Youth Foundation. Singh presented the Rajiv Gandhi Janma Pancha Sapthathi Puraskar to prominent personalities and organisations, including senior Congressman and leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala.

Singh said that Rajiv Gandhi set the direction for equipping the country for entering the new millennium with a progressive, modern and scientific outlook.

“Major strides in communication and information technology, in strengthening democracy at the grass roots level, in education, in ending decades old insurgency movement in Mizoram, in opening a fresh dialogue with China, in launching the technology missions, and in many other areas, have been the direct results of his vision and efforts, and have given us today a firm platform to launch further initiatives for growth and development,” he said.

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