'Indians demeaning others on religion not fit to be leaders'

New Delhi: Tolerance is the basic tenor of the country and any Indian who demeans others on the basis of food, religion and love is not worthy to be a leader, said novelist Vikram Seth, who had earlier supported Sahitya Akademi's condemnation of writers' killings.

"I have said it before and am saying it again that any Indian who demeans another Indian on the basis of the food he eats and on the basis of the god he prays to or on the basis of the person he loves is not worthy to be an Indian leader," Seth said.

The acclaimed author was speaking late last evening at a book launch function.

"I do believe that we are a tolerant country. I do believe that the basic tenor both of the country as a whole and also euphemistically called the majoritarian religion is tolerant. But we must not allow it to be hijacked by people who try to make the fault line deeper," he said.

Seth has previously spoken out in support of the writers who had returned their state awards condemning various incidents like the killings of writers and the Dadri lynching among others.

The author said the world could learn from a diverse country like India in how to get along with one other.

"It's not yoga or the invention of zero or IT if anything that the world can learn from us is how to get along with each other. It is this quality how to get along with the crowded country with such diversity and yet be enriched by it rather than feel separated by," Seth said.