Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday warned that the “unpleasant trends” of growing intolerance, communal polarisation, and incidents of violent crimes will damage our polity, PTI reported.

“These unpleasant trends of growing intolerance, communal polarisation, growing incidents of violent crimes propelled by hatred of certain groups and of mobs taking the law in their own hands can only damage our polity,” Singh said at an event by the Rajiv Youth Foundation held in memory of Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 75th birth anniversary. “All of us need to reflect on how we can contribute to arresting these trends.”

Singh said the trends harm the objectives enshrined in our Constitution – promotion of peace, national integration and communal harmony.

He recalled Gandhi’s words and said: “Nothing is more important than the unity and integrity of our nation. India is indivisible. Secularism is the bedrock of our nationhood. It implies more than tolerance. It involves an active effort for harmony.”

Singh said that both external and internal vested interests are exploiting communal passions and violence to divide the country, adding that no religion preaches hatred or intolerance.

He added that India has been witnessing “disturbing trends” for the past few years which should be reflected upon.

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