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Tharoor Claims to Get Death Threats Over ‘Hindu-Pak’ Row

Tharoor had said that if the BJP wins 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it will lead to the formation of a ‘Hindu Pakistan’.

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On the same day that his office was vandalised by youth wing activists of the BJP for his “Hindu Pakistan” comment, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that the offenders had issued death threats against him and had even tried to shut down his office.

Tharoor, on Thursday, had said that if the BJP wins 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it will lead to the formation of a 'Hindu Pakistan'.

Responding to a tweet asking what Tharoor believes is the cause of the BJP’s “reaction” to the incident, the Thiruvananthapuram MP sarcastically replied that although the “democratic” response to a controversial speech is a rebuttal speech, members of the Sangh Parivar would resort to vandalism instead.

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Tharoor’s response came after several BJP youth wing activists on Monday, 16 July, barged into his constituency office in Thiruvananthapuram, shouting anti-Tharoor slogans and smeared black oil all over it.

The Yuva Morcha activists even tied a banner saying "Hindu Pakistan" office, Economic Times reports. Tharoor was not present in the office when the incident took place.

Tharoor had said that if the BJP wins 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it will lead to the formation of a ‘Hindu Pakistan’.
BJP Youth activists vandalising Shashi Tharoor’s office. 
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@Anish_Cherian)
Tharoor had said that if the BJP wins 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it will lead to the formation of a ‘Hindu Pakistan’.
Police outside Shashi Tharoor’s office.
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@Anish_Cherian)

Speaking about the incident to ANI, Tharoor said:

I asked the PM, have you abandoned the RSS’ Hindu Rashtra dream? When you talk about the Constitution, isn’t it important to mention this? Or will you abandon the Constitution and change India after you get votes? Instead of answering these questions, they did this outside our office. They are trying to spread fear among the voters. 

Tharoor’s remarks had naturally been contested by outraged BJP members, who demanded an apology from both Tharoor and the Rahul-Gandhi led Congress party. The latter, however, seemed to distance itself from the controversy without throwing Tharoor under the bus.

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Tharoor, however, said that as long as the BJP’s aim remained in line with the “Hindu Pakistan” narrative, he would not apologise, ANI reports. And to those challenging the use of this phrase, the MP put out another tweet referring to an article explaining the BJP’s idea of what the Indian Constitution should be like.

A case under Section 153A/295A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 2 of The Prevention Of Insults To National Honour Act, 1971 had also been filed against Tharoor by Kolkata advocate Sumeet Chowdhury, for the “Hindu Pakistan” comment.

(With inputs from ANI and Economic Times)

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Topics:  BJP   Congress   Shashi Tharoor 

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