Amritsar: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticized the BJP, warning that if the party returns to power at the Centre, it could endanger democracy in the country. Speaking to reporters during his visit to the state to campaign for former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi, who is contesting from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency as a Congress candidate, Tharoor emphasized the need to prevent the BJP from regaining power. "Democracy will be at risk if the BJP forms the government again. To safeguard the nation, we must prevent the BJP from returning to power at the Centre. That's why I urge voters to support Charanjit Singh Channi," Tharoor stated. Tharoor accused the BJP of attempting to divide voters along religious lines. "The BJP is fostering divisions based on religion and caste. Communities that coexisted harmoniously before are now being fragmented by the BJP," he remarked. He also alleged that the BJP has undermined the country's democratic institutions. "The BJP has compromised various democratic institutions. Independent bodies intended to function impartially have been pressured and co-opted by the BJP. Media outlets critical of the government have faced scrutiny from central investigative agencies. We are living in a society where freedom of speech is under threat," Tharoor lamented. Charanjit Singh Channi is contesting against AAP candidate Pawan Kumar Tinu and SAD candidate Mohinder Singh Kaypee in the 2024 elections for the Jalandhar constituency. In Punjab, voting for all 13 seats will occur in a single phase, with the seventh and final phase scheduled for June 1, covering constituencies such as Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala. Acharya Pramod Krishnam Predicts Opposition Division Post-June 4 Cyclone Remal to Intensify, Expected to Hit Bangladesh and West Bengal Tonight Deadly Fire in Krishna Nagar: Three Lives Lost and Ten Injured