Tharoor tears into BJP over Sabrimala, says it practices politics of polarization

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of indulging in politics of polarisation. He also claimed that the BJP will be fighting the 2019 general elections on communal lines.

"BJP has got a nationwide strategy of polarisation. They are going to fight the next elections on communal lines. On Sabarimala, they could have easily found a solution through the national parliament or an ordinance or whatever but they want trouble on street. The Congress is trying to walk a middle course, we are with the believers but we want to follow legal course", Tharoor told ANI.

He also lambasted BJP while replying to a question on his 'chaiwala' remark, which he made yesterday.

During a speech made on the occasion of birth anniversary of India's first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, he credited the institutional structure created by Nehru for enabling a tea-seller to become country's prime minister.

"Prime Minister Modi has always talked of his humble background, and in my book, I have expressed admiration for the fact that a person of humble origin, through his hard work has risen to the highest office in the land. BJP is today in a condition that even if you drive safely on the road, they will come and purposely collide with you to make it look like an accident," he said.

Talking about the Sabarimala row and the all-party meeting called by Kerala Chief Minister earlier today, Tharoor lambasted the state government for rushing too fast to implement the decision and calling this meeting too late.

"I think it was a missed opportunity. We have been arguing and I have already given it in writing that the state government's mistake was not entering into a dialogue with all stakeholders, other parties, civil society organisation, community organisations, organisation of believers in order to find a way forwards. Instead, they rushed on it. September 20 was the day of decision; they started rushing to implement it. Today when it is 7 weeks too late, they finally called an all-party meeting. In the meeting, they were not interested in discussion. My party represented by the state president has to walk out because they said there was no interest on part of state government in listening to another point of views. We are now increasingly convinced that this entire issue is being converted to a malicious political campaign on both sides.