Tharoor Slams Lathi-Charge on Students, Calls Police Action Shocking

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday lashed out at the Centre over the lathi-charge on protesters, saying the "walloping" of students was shocking and the whole issue was "very badly" handled.

Tharoor, who visited the Jantar Mantar protest site on Tuesday night and interacted with several students injured during the 'Sansad Chalo' march, said he heard painful testimonies of students and was perturbed by them.

Dressed in black in solidarity with protesting students, Tharoor said it reflected the sadness of what is happening in



the country. Asked about the BJP's charge that the Congress was politicising the issue, he said, the fact is that politics enters the picture the moment an issue cannot be raised in Parliament. 

"But the real issue is the feelings of the students. They are the future of the country. And if they are feeling betrayed, there ought to be some opportunity to reach out to them. I'm really surprised that the government has allowed matters to get out of hand like this and has greeted the students with violence and lathis," he told reporters in Parliament House complex.