'O Mitron' is far more dangerous than Omicron: Tharoor

New Delhi

"Far more dangerous than Omicron is 'O Mitron',"senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Monday in an apparent swipe atPrime Minister Narendra Modi, as he flagged "increased polarisation"and the "weakening of democracy".

Tharoor has been attacking the government, alleging that it is indulging indivisive rhetoric and spreading hatred.

"Far more dangerous than Omicron is 'O Mitron'! We are measuring theconsequences of the latter every day in increased polarisation, promotion ofhatred & bigotry, insidious assaults on the Constitution & theweakening of our democracy," the former Union minister said in a tweet.

"There is no 'milder variant' of this virus," he added.

"Mitron", which means friends, is a term seen to be associated withModi, who has used it in his speeches in the past.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala slammed Tharoor for the jibe and askedwhether the Congress can keep the COVID-19 pandemic above politics.

"Can Congress keep pandemic above politics? First Congress spread vaccinehesitancy & now it says Omicron isn't dangerous -- at beginning of Covid 19Akhilesh said CAA is more dangerous than Covid. Do these people have no senseof responsibility?" he tweeted.

Tharoor has been attacking the government over the issue of polarisation. OnJanuary 29, the Thiruvananthapuram MP had shared a video of Yogi Adityanath andaccused him of polarisation, saying the Uttar Pradesh chief minister had noidea how much damage he had caused to the country.