Tharoor reiterates his "Hindu-Pakistan" jibe against BJP; Congress disowns statement

Rebuking Tharoor's jibe, BJP has termed the statement as shameful and has sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi over the same

Shashi Tharoor / File Image

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday took on Bharatiya Janta Party and said that if party wins 2019 Lok Sabha elections, then it would turn the country towards into ‘Hindu Pakistan’ like situation. Rebuking Tharoor’s jibe, BJP is now seeking an apology from party President Rahul Gandhi. A day after making his statement and attracting flak for the same, the Congress leader on Thursday reiterated his "Hindu-Pakistan" jibe via post on his Facebook account.  "I have said this before and I will say it again. Pakistan was created as a state with a dominant religion, that discriminates against its minorities and denies them equal rights. India never accepted the logic that had partitioned the country. But the BJP/RSS idea of a Hindu Rashtra is the mirror image of Pakistan -- a state with a dominant majority religion that seeks to put its minorities in a subordinate place. That would be a Hindu Pakistan, and it is not what our freedom movement fought for, nor the idea of India enshrined in our Constitution" he said. Congress on the other hand cornered itself from Tharoor's statement. Speaking on the same party spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "we don't agree to Tharoor's statement because we belong to a country where all religions are preached".

.@INCIndia corners itself from @ShashiTharoor's statement, says "We live in a country where all religions are preached" @priyankac19 https://t.co/DklVA2kRqn

— ABP News (@abpnewstv) July 12, 2018

What did Tharoor say? The statement was made by Tharoor during an event in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. “If BJP wins 2019, it would write a new constitution, which would pave way for India to turn into a nation like Pakistan.” He further said that “then none would respect the rights of minorities”. What does BJP want? BJP has responded to Tharoor over his statement. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Tharoor said that if BJP wins 2019 Lok Sabha polls, then country will have Hindu Pakitsan like situation, shameful. Congress never leaves a chance to humiliate the nation and the Hindus. From Hindu terrorism to Hindu Pakistan, Congress won’t mend its ways”. BJP has sought an apology from Gandhi over this statement.

MR Sashi Tharoor says India will become “Hindu-Pakistan” if BJP returns to power in 2019! Shameless @INCIndia doesn’t lose any opportunity to demean India & defame the Hindus! From “Hindu terrorists” to “Hindu-Pakistan” the Pak appeasing policies of Cong are unparalleled!

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) July 11, 2018