Politics isn't about violence, it should be a contest of ideas, says Shashi Tharoor

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday condemned the firing incidents at Shaheen Bagh, which had taken place ahead of the Assembly elections in Delhi, and hinted that it could have been the result of speeches made by politicians.

There are so many speeches that are just naked provocation and those are inciting people to behave like this. I find it very sad that our political discourse has cheapened at such level, people are impressionable enough to go and take the speeches of leaders like 'goli maro salo ko' seriously," Tharoor told reporters here.

"Politics is not about violence, politics should be a contest of ideas and ideologies and we should try to persuade people, not fire guns," he added.

Upon being questioned about the probability of the elections for the post of Congress President, the position which is currently held by Sonia Gandhi in an interim fashion, Tharoor said, "I do not make the decisions, I can just put forth my opinions. The (Congress) working committee will have to take the decision to conduct elections for the post."

"Being an MP I am entitled to give the view that I think the election is the right way forward, but ultimately I am not a member of the committee which will make the decision," he said.