Govt invites intellectuals returning awards for talks

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday said he has invited intellectuals for discussion in the wake of returning of awards by many of them claiming "growing intolerance" in the country.

"I still don't know the reason behind returning of awards by them... As the home minister, I have invited intellectuals for discussion. I would like to know the reasons behind their returning awards... And if there is intolerance, I would like to know from them the reasons behind it and how it could be solved," Singh told India Today TV.

At least 75 members of the intelligentsia have returned national or literary awards in an escalation of protests by writers, historians, filmmakers and scientists over "growing intolerance", voicing fears that the country's robust democracy might be "coming apart" in the current atmosphere.