BJP to Congress, on Salman Rushdie: Be tolerant

Mocks ex-FM over ‘ban on The Satanic Verses wrong’ remark

The BJP on Sunday took a potshot at former Union finance minister P. Chidambaram over his remark admitting that the then Rajiv Gandhi government’s decision to ban Salman Rushdie’s novel, The Satanic Verses, had been wrong.

The BJP sought to know why it took Mr Chidambaram 27 years to admit “the mistake” and suggested that the Congress be a “little tolerant”. “The question arises that after close to nearly three decades why was there a need to admit the mistake If it is reflective of Congress’ thinking, then one needs to see it in a larger perspective and everyone, which includes the Congress particularly, needs to be a little tolerant,” BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said.