Test of democracy is king tolerates dissent, introspects: Gadkari

Pune: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the biggest test of democracy is that the ruler tolerates even the strongest opinion against him, and it leads to introspection.

Writers and intellectuals should express themselves fearlessly, the senior BJP leader said at a book release function at MIT World Peace University here.

"The biggest test of democracy is that the king tolerates the strongest opinion against him and introspects over it," said Gadkari.

In India, there is no problem of difference of opinion but "there is a problem of lack of opinion", he said.

"We are neither rightist, nor leftist. We are opportunists. It is expected from writers and intellectuals that they express their opinions without any fear," he added.

Gadkari also said that as long as untouchability and notions of social inferiority and superiority persist, the work of nation-building can not be said to be complete.