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Advani invites Amartya to debate on secularism
Statesman News Service
NEW DELHI, July 31. — Mr LK Advani today invited Prof. Amartya Sen to an open debate on secularism and the BJP’s commitment to it. The Deputy Prime Minister’s offer was made at a Ficci seminar. The Nobel laureate said a debate would be welcome, but didn’t confirm whether he would participate in it.
Speaking before Prof. Sen at the seminar, Mr Advani, having paid tributes to the economist’s works on social sector development, said: “We do not believe in, nor do we practice, the ideology of exclusion and discrimination. Doing so is antithetical to our belief in secularism and our understanding of Indian secularism.”
Mr Advani then said he wanted to argue this point with “some emphasis because many well-intentioned people, including Prof. Sen himself, sometimes have raised questions about our secular credentials. We’re for an open debate on secularism. We’re prepared to debate our case with anybody.”
Later, speaking to journalists, Prof. Sen welcomed Mr Advani’s suggestion. In his speech, he said communal violence as witnessed in Gujarat wouldn’t help democracy.
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