Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has targeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for not taking a strong stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act. Calling him a “helpless CM”, Tharoor opined that Kejriwal’s strategy is to gain favour of those who support the law and the ones who oppose it.

“Kejriwal perhaps wants both pro and anti-CAA people on his side, so he did not take any strong stand on it. On what basis people should vote for him, if he cannot speak about the issue,” Tharoor said at a press conference.

On the issue of violence at Jamia Millia Islamia and JNU, the senior Congress leader said Kejriwal not only failed to take a “clear stand” on the CAA but also did not meet the students who were injured in these incidents.

“I do not know whose orders he (Kejriwal) is receiving. Who has asked you (Kejriwal) not to speak about violence against your students, not meet the injured students, and not take a clear stand on CAA? You are the CM and there is nobody to order you,” Tharoor added.

Tharoor also appealed to the people of Delhi to resist any move to polarise the assembly polls next month on the CAA issue and recent incidents of violence.
Citing Kejriwal’s tweet against former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Tharoor said people would not vote for a “helpless” chief minister.

“Kejriwal tweeted some years ago – we do not want such a helpless Chief Minister- about Sheila Dikshit. Let him read his own tweet now. Do parents want such a helpless CM who when their children are facing lathis, does not meet them,” Tharoor said.
Tharoor asserted that his party took a “strong and clear stand” against the CAA.
“You can not reduce CAA to an issue of one religion alone. It is not just a matter of Indian Muslims, it is a matter of all Indians,” he said attacking the BJP.