Kolkata/IBNS: The massive and often violent anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests could have "transformed" the country's political discourse, which is still deftly anchored by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had there been no Covid-19 pandemic, feels Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

Speaking on the current political discourse of the country at an Oxford Bookstore event, Tharoor said, "In my own view, if people feel that they are benefitting from a certain way of things, they often allow any other transgressions in the government. When things affect people directly like the sterilisation campaign in north India, people rise up in defence."

Shashi Tharoor at Oxford Bookstore in Kolkata | Image Credit: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Adding to the context, he said, "It's interesting that the most significant opposition to this (BJP) government came when the CAA was passed. For the first time, people felt attacked not so much as Muslims but as Indian citizens. Their right to be an Indian was questioned and that had brought people out on the streets and of course many of us in solidarity and support.

"I think the government was a bit shaken by that (protests). They had really no clue as to how to end that series of persistent and escalating protests until Covid came and saved them. If it weren't for the Covid lockdown, those protests could have still transformed the political discourse of the country."

The erudite Thiruvananthapuram MP said this at an interactive session held at Oxford Bookstore in Park Street, Kolkata on Thursday.

Tharoor was present as the chief guest at the event which celebrated Oxford Bookstore's 100 years.

The eighth edition of the Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize was also announced on Thursday.

(Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)