New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday claimed that his constituency office in Thiruvananthapuram was attacked by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists over his ‘Hindu Pakistan’ comment.
In a series of tweets, Tharoor said that the accused poured black engine oil on signs, doors, walls, and gate and drove away innocent citizens waiting with their petitions.
“@YUVAMORCHABJP vandals attacked my constituency office in Thiruvananthapuram. They poured black engine oil on signs, doors, walls, and gate, drove away innocent citizens waiting with their petitions, put up offensive banners & shouted slogans asking me to go to Pakistan,” he said in a tweet.
“We have all been warned. The BJP’s answer to the simple question “have you given up the dream of a Hindu Rashtra?” is apparently vandalism and violence. That is the face they have shown in Thiruvananthapuram today. Most Hindus will say these Sanghi goondas do not represent us, he said in another tweet.
In another tweet as more details emerged, Tharoor said, “They threatened to kill me & to shut down my MP office. This is an assault on democracy & on freedom of expression. We have taken it to the Kerala Police.”
Last week, Tharoor made a controversial comment saying if the BJP wins in 2019, it will tear apart constitution and India will become Hindu Pakistan.
Tharoor said, “If they (BJP) win a repeat in the Lok Sabha our democratic constitution as we understand it will not survive as they will have all the elements they need to tear apart the constitution of India & write a new one. That new one (Constitution) will be the one which will enshrine principles of Hindu Rashtra, that’ll remove equality for minorities, that will create a Hindu Pakistan and that isn’t what Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and great heroes of freedom struggle fought for.”
However, after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed him and demanded an apology, the Congress leader defended his ‘controversial remark’ saying, “If BJP does not believe in Hindu Rashtra concept then they should say it on record that we do not believe in a Hindu Rashtra but in a secular republic. This would end the debate”.
Stating that he doesn’t see what exactly he need to apologise for BJP’s point of view, he said, “I’m repeating what is on record from BJP&RSS.If they are no longer interested in the idea of Hindu Rashtra they must admit. Until they do so, how can one apologise for reflecting their point accurately”
Hitting at Tharoor, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Shameless @INCIndia doesn’t lose any opportunity to demean India and defame the Hindus! From “Hindu terrorists” to “Hindu-Pakistan” the Pak appeasing policies of Congress are unparalleled!.”
“It was in the Congress’s game plan to destroy the idea of India. They disrespect democracy by comparing us to Pakistan. The party never has anything nice to say about the country.”