'No need to fear': FM on Bajaj's lack of freedom comment

"But, if you are saying that there is such an environment, we need to work to improve this", Home Minister responded.

"These are facts which we need to first accept".

Veteran Industrialist Rahul Bajaj at an award function in Mumbai said there was an "atmosphere of fear" and people were afraid to criticise the government and do not have the confidence that the government will appreciate any criticism.

Khera, meanwhile, also expressed the confidence that the alliance of Congress, JMM and RJD will be able to uproot BJP from Jharkhand, where the elections for the 81-member Assembly are now ongoing.

"If you say there is a certain kind of atmosphere, we will have to make efforts to improve it".

Defending the government against allegations of intolerance to criticism, the minister tweeted on Monday: "Have been meeting representatives across industry and trade, post-budget, to listen to their concerns and take their suggestions". He said that it was important for a systemic change, "under UPA 2 we could abuse anyone that is another point".

The 81-year-old industrialist also questioned the government over giving BJP MP Pragya Thakur a ticket and her subsequent remarks about Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse being a patriot. Further he said people did not fear to criticize government during Congress era. Questions/criticisms are heard and answered/addressed.

"Always a better way to seek an answer than spreading one's own impressions which, on gaining traction, can hurt national interest", she had tweeted.

On Saturday, ace Indian industrialist Rahul Bajaj too had criticised the government on the socio-economic front in the presence of Indian Home Minister Shah, conveying that there was a sense of fear in the industry.

He also asked why the government was patting its back on the GST collection for November, at ₹1,03,492 crore, after it dipped below the ₹1 lakh crore mark for three successive months. "There are societies in the world which are governed by fear, but a society where citizens can weave fake narratives & hurl invectives at the govt cannot be classified as one governed by fear, it is a society characterized by fair dose of indiscipline", said Puri without bothering to clarify whose was the fake narrative, who was hurling invectives, and who was indisciplined.

At event on Friday, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said there was a "palpable climate of fear".

Earlier also, Shaw had supported Bajaj and said the government treated India Inc as "pariahs". I don't think anyone should attack Mr Bajaj.