: Union Minister of state for HRD Shashi Tharoor today said civil societies would attain the character of political parties when it gets organised.
"If Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party represents civil society, Congress party also represents it," Tharoor said.
"There are several interpretations on civil societies and their relationship with political parties. Somebody says that political parties are part of civil societies but some others think that they cannot be part of such movements," he said.
He was addressing a seminar on "Civil Society and Contemporary Kerala Politics", organised by Association of Political Scientists and Kerala Higher Secondary Political Science Teachers Association.
"Civil societies are turned out to be political parties when they get organised. If Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party represents civil society, is not Congress party also representing it?," he said.
Media especially television channels had played a crucial role in propagating such mass people movements, the minister said adding that the civil society in Kerala is very strong compared to many other states in the country.
Tharoor also released a book titled "Civil Society-- Politics Interface: The Kerala Experience", penned by G Gopakumar, former Head of the Department of Political Sciences, University of Kerala.
BJP leader O Rajagopal, KPCC Vice President M M Hassan and former state Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran were present.
