Like every year, this year too, the Telegraph National Debate was organized by the ABP group.  On 5^th March, at Calcutta Club lawn, there was huge turn out to witness the debate where speakers made passionate case for or against the motion. Interestingly, the selection of panelists by the ABP authorities was tricky indeed. The motion of the debate was 'Tolerance is the new intolerance'. Speaking for the motion were Suhel Seth, Bollywood Actor Kajol and Anupam Kher. Justice Ashok Ganguly, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala and TV journalist Barkha Dutt were opposing the motion. The moderator of the whole debate was Mukul Kesavan, renowned writer and historian.

Suhel Seth started the debate after Mukul Kesavan introduced the speakers. Suhel Seth in his usual flamboyance sarcastically depicted how Bengal has become a 'Temple of tolerance' under the 'timid' CM Mamata Banerjee. In his usual spontaneous approach, Suhel Seth stated 'intolerance should not become a leit motif'. Justice Ashok Ganguly began with direct reference to a specific case regarding a controversy to sing national anthem compulsorily in a school in Kerala. The audience was shell shocked when he said that Supreme Court of India was completely wrong in hanging Afzal Guru in haste. His one sided interpretation of the term 'freedom' with regard to the JNU incident raised eyebrows among the audience. Next, Bollywood actor Kajol narrated her film roles and pointed out, how intolerance is not at all 'only-political' reference. Randeep Surjewala started with Congress point of view and audience was awestruck to find such an election rhetoric with full BJP bashing. From 'beef ban' to 'Rohith Vemula' incident, Randeep Surjewala didn't miss any opportunity to heat up the political tempo on the debate platform. Randeep Surjewala was soon followed by Anupam Kher and Barkha Dutt was the last speaker. The audience looked perplexed and the debate ended in a tie as moderator Mukul Kesavan rightly pointed out that India as a nation needs to be tolerant in the true ideals of Indian Constitution.

The highlight of the debate was Anupam Kher's electrifying speech. Anupam Kher began his speech with direct reference to earlier speaker Justice Ashok Ganguly. He categorically mentioned that he was 'shocked, ashamed and saddened' by Justice Ashok Ganguly's statement.  Justice Ganguly had argued Supreme Court verdict on Afzal Guru was 'wrong'. He reminded him of the time when Justice Ganguly was 'intolerant' against media persons when there was a complaint of sexual molestation against him by a law intern. Anupam Kher reminded the audience that all 'intolerance'- sloganeers were actually making hero of Kanhaiya Kumar in JNU who was part of the gathering which mocked India and its democracy with hate speeches. Next Anupam Kher answered to all 'intolerant' examples of Randeep Surjewala saying, the biggest case of intolerance which India witnessed was during Indira Gandhi's infamous emergency. He further added that the 'Emergency' stooped down to such a level that all voices of opposition were sent behind bars under authoritarian diktat, which also included Anupam Kher's grandfather. Quite sarcastically he remarked, the biggest example of tolerance in India is Indian National Congress Party itself, as day in and day out, they are 'tolerating' their perennial Prime Ministerial candidate Rahul Gandhi. He urged the Congress to cooperate in the Parliament for the good of the country. Categorically he asked the audience, whether anyone was aware of the term 'tolerance' eight months back. The chorus answer was 'no', much to Kher's delight. He added that the whole drama of intolerance has been 'marketed' by the opposition to malign the genuine efforts of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to power with absolute majority and 282 seats in the Lok Sabha. He also said, that it's a pity that the opposition in India are engaged in a well thought conspiracy against such a Prime Minister, who has never taken a day off in two years of his reign in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also the only PM who spent two consecutive Diwali with Indian soldiers in Jammu & Kashmir.

Amidst much applause he continued to say that for the last ten years of UPA regime, people got used to 'corruption' and now the opposition has no evidence to call for corruption against the Modi Government. Thus, 'intolerance' has become a tool or propaganda to defame the PM as well as the ruling government, for petty political benefits. Anupam Kher declared that it was 'the intellectuals, the rich, the famous who roam with 20 body guards' or 'those living in five star hotels, wearing diamond studs' were feeling the manufactured 'intolerance' heat and spreading it with a propaganda. To give a realistic example of intolerance, he mentioned US Presidential candidate Donald Trump who has recently called for banning Muslims in America. Kher urged the audience to give PM Narendra Modi sufficient time in his tenure to function to his fullest potential. The audience gave a thunderous applause when Anupam Kher mentioned that the present PM doesn't look at narrow party lines; his sole aim is the development and growth of India as a nation. He openly told to the ABP group Avik Sircar that the 'aunty national' epithet on Smriti Irani was completely unjustified and at 46 years, Rahul Gandhi doesn't deserve to be called as 'youth icon' of India. Anupam Kher further said, if Rahul Gandhi ever matches one tenth ability of that of Narendra Modi, he would vote for Rahul Gandhi. The audience gave a huge round of applause when Anupam Kher said that Sadhvi, Yogi and other members of BJP who use discriminatory language in media, should be expelled from the party.

There is no denying the fact that Anupam Kher's speech was not only well received by the audience present but also, the video became a viral within few hours in the social media platforms. Anupam Kher's speech found the right pitch with the general sentiment on 'intolerance'.