Tolerance

Tolerance is the habit of accepting different opinions, beliefs, customs etc. without any anger and irritation. It is a great virtue. It is of supreme value in every walk of life. It is based on the principle of ‘Live and Let Live’. We should allow people to exercise their rights, religious or constitutional. But to abstain from protesting against wrong-doing in the name of tolerance is cowardice. Tolerance does not mean cowardice. It is the exercise of restraint in sensitive matters. It is essential in family life, social life and national life to ensure peace and prosperity. On the other hand, intolerance begets hostility among the people. Sometimes it takes the ugly form of communal hatred and results in communal riots. Thus it hampers peace and harmony in a society and in a nation as well. Tolerance is the fruit of education. And illiteracy is stagnant water where the fanatics lay eggs of intolerance. So mass education is necessary to sow the seed of tolerance in the very fabric of the society.