Shashi Tharoor 'Hindu Pakistan' controversy: SHOCKING justification of comment by Tharoor as Congress distances itself

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has issued an 'explanation' in his defence over his 'Hindu Pakistan' comment made on Wednesday.

Via a Tweet, he announced that he has penned down a post about what the term means:

The post which was also posted on his Facebook page fearmongers about "BJP/RSS idea of a Hindu rashtra" and claims that it would be "the mirror image of Pakistan-- a state with a dominant majority religion that seeks to put its minorities in a subordinate place".

He adds, "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".

Interestingly and unexplainably, while Tharoor's original comment was on "Hindu Pakistan", his defence is vis-a-vis a "Hindu Rashtra" which is in itself seems like a clever change in position without acknowledging it. 

Here is the full Facebook post by Shashi Tharoor wherein he not only reiterates the comment but also tries to parrot a defence for the utterly distasteful remark:

"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"

Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi reacted on Tharoor's comment and tried to distance Rahul Gandhi's party from the remark. 

She said, "Our only Motto is Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, but the term Hindutva is brought by Modiji only. We do not agree with his (Tharoor's) stand".

Chaturvedi added, "It is his personal stand and party categorically believe in one thought. We respect everyone's voice and point of view and it is not embarrassing and the political party is very clear on what we stand for."

Addressing a gathering at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, Tharoor had fearmongered that should the BJP come into power in 2019, the democratic constitution of India would cease to survive and India would turn into a "Hindu Pakistan".

Here's an excerpt of what Tharoor said:

"Because all the three elements they need to tear up the constitution of India and write a new one. And that will be a new one that will enshrine the principle of a Hindu Rashtra, that will remove equality for the minorities, that will create a Hindu Pakistan"

Watch Shashi Tharoor's full remarks here

Interestingly, Tharoor's comment came just hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi met minority leaders at his residence in New Delhi. 

The coinage of the Congress' "Hindu Pakistan" ahead of the 2019 elections comes as an ugly reminder of the Hindu Terror remarks by senior Congressmen in the lead up to the 2014 General elections. While a Hindu terror card was waved around and used to besmirch the image of Lt Col Purohit in the Malegaon blasts case, the consequent dropping of major terror charges against the armed forces personnel had exposed that the slogan was no more than a campaign bogey.

Additionally, the trend to appease the minorities at the cost of fearmongering about the majority has been a constant vis-a-vis pre-election campaigns by the Congress

...what's your take on Tharoor's "Hindu Pakistan" comment and the ensuing 'explanation'. Tell us your views in the comments section below

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