Mumbai’s cosmopolitan nature is at stake; BJP clueless, says Tharoor
MUMBAI: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that BJP could not understand the cosmopolitanism of Mumbai and this is at stake now.
Speaking at the state Congress headquarters in Mumbai on Sunday, Tharoor said that he had spent some nine years in Mumbai and knew the city. “I hope voters will come forward to defend their own essential character and work with us for a better India,” he said.
Tharoor, who is on a visit to Mumbai, campaigned for Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad who is contesting from Mumbai North Central. He called on Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray at his residence, Matoshree in Bandra East.
Tharoor said that the BJP has no respect for allies. He said, “Coalition government is nothing to worry about in India. The track record shows economic growth is better [in coalition governments] than single-party government.”
Tharoor said that PM Narendra Modi feels that he is losing and is trying to make leaders from parties the BJP had broken to switch sides. Tharoor parried questions on Maharashtra leader of opposition Vijay Wadettiwar claiming that IPS officer Hemant Karkare was killed by a police officer linked to the RSS.
He said that this election is not an ordinary election but a struggle to keep India’s soul safe. The BJP has endangered democracy and the Constitution and is openly undermining diversity. There have been three phases of voting and, not only in South India, but in all the states, the atmosphere seems to have changed, he said.
“We cannot use the words that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using in public even in a closed group. It is disgraceful and is not appropriate for the country and its politics. In view of BJP’s politics, all like-minded parties have joined together,” he said. Although the BJP has split the Shiv Sena and the NCP, the ground cadre are still with the original parties. Shashi Tharoor said that the type of coordination in the MVA-INDIA alliance is not seen in the NDA.
Anis Ahmed Idrisi, general secretary of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, joined the Congress in Tharoor’s presence.