KOCHI: Tolerance rooted in humanism is what is needed now and those at the helm should always strive to propagate the same, said eminent film-maker Shyam Benegal. According to him, all sections of society should be taken into confidence and the writers and intellectuals who are returning their awards should have a rethink on their act.
“My point is that honours and awards were not given by a particular government. They are tokens of recognition given by the nation acknowledging one’s contribution. There is no need to return one’s award as part of expressing protest against the government policies or actions. Instances of intolerance are rampant in the country. Dadri violence was the ugliest incident witnessed by the nation in this regard,” said Benegal, while interacting with the media here on Monday. He also called upon the government to resolve the dispute with students of FTI amicably. “All that is needed is a face-to-face talk,” he added. During the interaction he lauded the organisers of All Lights India International Film Festival. According to him, film festival will act as a breeding ground for the making of quality films.