Congress leaders rally behind Shashi Tharoor

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress leaders have rallied behind Mr Shashi Tharoor, MP, who has been chargesheeted by the Delhi police for "abetment to suicide" in the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar in a luxury hotel room in New Delhi on January 17, 2014.   Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president M. M. Hassan termed the action of the Delhi police as politically motivated.  However, the BJP asked Mr Tharoor to resign as MP.   In a statement here, Mr Chennithala said the BJP government at the centre was misusing its power to target the Congress and defame Mr Tharoor.  

"Tharoor was earlier subjected to media interrogation and false news was published against him. Now he has been chargesheeted for abetment to suicide of his wife," said Mr Chennithala.  The Delhi police action will not be tolerated by the people who will rubbish it, he said. Mr Hassan maintained that Mr Tharoor was attacked as he had been hitting out at the prime minister and the Sangh Parivar. "Only fascists would initiate such action against their political rivals. Several intellectuals, social commentators and journalists have lost their lives for criticising the government. Now the BJP government wants to end  the political career of Tharoor,"  said Mr Hassan.

"Tharoor has established himself as a leader with his keen intellect and clean politics and the BJP cannot tarnish his image," he said. BJP state general secretary M. T. Ramesh demanded Mr Tharoor's resignation as MP and said he should have been slapped with a case earlier itself.  But due to his influence with the then UPA government, the case was sidelined. "If Tharoor doesn't step down, the Congress party should demand  his ouster,"  said Mr Ramesh.

Late on Monday evening, KSU and Youth Congress leaders led a march in support of Mr Tharoor from MLA quarters to the secretariat. Prior to this march, BJP district leaders led a protest march to the secretariat demanding his resignation. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy termed the chargesheet as revenge. "BJP is trying to tarnish the image of Mr Tharoor deliberately where they are eyeing the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat. People will rubbish off the claims made by the BJP where they are resorting to trap the Congress leaders in false cases."