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Top industry leader and former chairman of behemoth conglomerate Tata Group Ratan Tata said growing instances of intolerance will be weeded out through education and job satisfaction. Ratan Tata speech came after he announced a tie-up with US-based online education non-profit Khan Academy. The killing of a Muslim man in Uttar Pradesh's Dadri over suspicion of eating beef in September, murders of rationalists like M M Kalburgi and other instances where voices have been stifled has led to a national debate on whether the levels of tolerance are going down in the country. Tata also spoke on government making CSR mandatory. Here are in 5 points all you wanted to know in points: (PTI)
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"Education, job satisfaction are issues that will help reduce or eliminate intolerance because it will be replaced by knowledge."
"Our country has lived in harmony… we've to work together, we've to live together and continue do so, and not contribute to the intolerance that is growing in the world around us." (Reuters) -
"I don't want to get into the issue of intolerance as being voiced on TV in India at the present moment". Tata, who now heads the Tata Trusts, refused to formally join the debate which has already seen the likes of President Pranab Mukherjee, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Infosys founder N Narayana Murthy and Biocon's Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, among others voicing their reservations.
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"The mandated 2 per cent the government has (enforced) becomes like a tax". He, however, said Tata Group companies have been devoting up to five per cent of their profits for CSR for many years now. Tata stressed that a big amount of money gets generated through such contributions and it can be utilised better if the government can clearly identify projects or sectors which are need of funds.
"Philanthropy or giving is something that comes within you and you obviously create another motivation when you mandate that you will give 'x' or 'y'." Tata added that giving is a new phenomenon which needs to be given its time and space to grow and have course corrections. He also termed philanthropy as an act of doing something good for the society "without seeking to glorify yourself" (Tata was reacting to queries on Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and his wife giving away 99 % of their Facebook shares valued at $45 bn.) (Express photo)
