Sonia takes 'intolerance' to President

Congress president Sonia Gandhi called on President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday evening where she is learnt to have voiced concerns over "growing incidents of intolerance” across the country. Sonia’s 40-minute meeting with Mukherjee comes on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on the Congress asking it not to lecture on tolerance as its leaders were involved in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. During the meeting, Sonia is understood to have discussed with the President the current political situation in the country and the confrontationist approach adopted by the Modi government, particularly while dealing with the Opposition. Congress maintained that the meeting was a "courtesy call” as Sonia was unable to attend the banquet hosted by the President for leaders of African nations last week. On Tuesday, Sonia would be leading a march by Congress leaders, including party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, from Parliament House to Rashtrapati Bhavan to appeal to the President to use his Constitutional powers to end the "atmosphere of intolerance” in the country. Congress sources said a large gathering of leaders is expected on Tuesday. Sonia felt it necessary to apprise the President of the party’s concerns over the intolerance issue in a one-on-one meeting.   Deccan Herald