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Bharatiya Janata Party youth wing activists allegedly on Monday smeared black oil on Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's constituency office here over his comment that a "Hindu Pakistan" would be created if the ruling party at the Centre returned to power.
Tharoor however, was not present in the office when the incident took place. He was attending other functions here.
"People had come with their concerns but you scared them away from here. Is this what we want in our country? I am asking as a citizen, not as an MP. This is not the Hinduism that I know of," said Tharoor after his office was attacked.
The Yuva Morcha activists, shouting anti-Tharoor slogans, barged into the office and even tied a banner saying "Hindu Pakistan" office.
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Thiruvananthapuram district BJP President S. Suresh said the incident was a protest against a wrong statement.
"This protest took place as Tharoor is the Lok Sabha member from here and hence this is nothing but a natural protest because of his erroneous statement," said Suresh.
Senior Congress legislator V.D. Sateeshan told the media that the incident was a show of the BJP's arrogance.
State Congress President M.M. Hassan and Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala strongly condemned the act.
Speaking on "Threats faced by Indian Democracy and Secularism" at an event here last week, Tharoor said: "The great danger is that if they (the BJP) are able to win a repeat of their current strength in the Lok Sabha, then frankly our democratic constitution as we understand will not survive because they will have all the three elements they need to tear up the Constitution of India and write a new one.
"That will be a new one which will enshrine the principle of Hindu Rashtra, will remove equality for minorities, that will create a Hindu Pakistan."
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On July 14, a Kolkata court summoned Tharoor following a petition moved by lawyer Sumeet Chowdhury dubbing the leader's comments as "a deliberate and malicious act " that was "intended" at "outraging" religious feelings.
With inputs from agencies)
