Shashi Tharoor explains 'Hindu Pakistan' comment on social media

New Delhi : After facing flak over his comment in which he said India will turn into Hindu Pakistan if BJP returns to power in 2019, Shashi Tharoor explained his intentions via social media.

“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.

Many proud Hindus like myself cherish the inclusive nature of our faith and have no desire to live, as our Pakistani neighbours are forced to, in an intolerant theocratic state. We want to preserve India and not turn our beloved country into a Hindu version of Pakistan.”

Shashi Tharoor, during an event, had said “That new one (constitution) will be the one which will enshrine principles of Hindu Rashtra, that’ll remove equality for minorities, that’ll create a Hindu Pakistan and that isn’t what Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and great heroes of freedom struggle fought for.”

Bharatiya Janata Party slammed Congress for the comment. The party spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “From Hindu terrorism to Hindu Pakistan, Congress’ Pak appeasing policies are unparalleled.” He also asked Congress President Rahul Gandhi to apologise for it.