After ‘Hindu Pak’ jibe, Tharoor wonders if Talibanisation has started in Hinduism

Days after the walls of his office here were defaced by BJP youth wing members, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has wondered whether

"Talibanisation of Hinduism" has started.

Tharoor had recently courted a huge controversy with remarks that the BJP, if voted to power again, will rewrite the Constitution and pave the way for creation of a "Hindu Pakistan".

"They are asking me to go to Pakistan. Who has given them the right to decide that I am not a Hindu like them and so I cannot live in India?

"The BJP's talk of 'Hindu Rashtra' is really dangerous and will destroy this nation. Has Talibanisation started in Hinduism?" the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram told workers of Kerala's opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) at a protest march against alleged neglect of the state by the Centre on Tuesday.

Members of the BJP's youth wing – Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) – had defaced Tharoor's office on Monday while demanding an apology for his "Hindu Pakistan" comments.

The Congress had distanced itself from his comments and cautioned its leaders to choose words carefully while rejecting the saffron party's "hatred". Five BJYM workers were arrested and released on bail on Tuesday in connection with the incident of vandalism at Tharoor's office.

BJP workers had shown black flags to the former Union minister on Tuesday. Tharoor on Wednesday accused right-wing activists for death threats as also vandalising his office and demanded Prime Minister's intervention in dealing with such anti-national elements.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor said the attacks are on people who are expressing dissent and the victims, in recent months, have included intellectuals, minorities, and various citizens of the country.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that the former would feel more comfortable in Pakistan as his girlfriend lives there.

Responding to Tharoor's remark, Swamy told ANI, “Taliban forces you to leave; we are not forcing him (Shashi Tharoor) to leave, we are only giving him a suggestion since he has Pakistani girlfriend that too ISI he might be more comfortable there.”