AHMEDABAD: The national spokesperson of
Indian National Congress, Priyanka Chaturvedi, said on Saturday, that the Congress party did not support Shashi Tharoor’s controversial ‘Hindu Pakistan’ comment, but stood by what Tharoor said about the Constitution’s peril in a BJP-ruled India. Chaturvedi, who was in the city to attend the 141st Rath Yatra, said the Congress party believes in multi-ethnic and multi-racial pluralism.
Chaturvedi, who was in Shahpur, said this while answering a query on the recent controversial remarks made by Tharoor, Congress MP from Thiruvananthpuram. On July 12, while addressing a gathering in his constituency, Tharoor had said that India will turn into a ‘Hindu Pakistan’ if
Bharatiya Janata Party won the 2019
Lok Sabha elections.
“We are very clear that it is something that he (Tharoor) has said. It is his personal point of view. However, we also believe that in this country one ideology and one idea cannot win. This is a country where you can witness an event like this Rath Yatra, which is the result of the country’s traditions,” said Chaturvedi.
Chaturvedi said, “We have categorically said that Congress believes in multi-ethnic, multi-racial pluralism of the country.” She said the Congress believes in what Tharoor says about the dangers posed to the Constitution in a BJP-ruled Centre, but it doesn’t agree with the ‘Hindu Pakistan’ remarks.
Tharoor, while addressing supporters in his constituency had said, if BJP wins 2019 Lok Sabha elections they will scrap the current Constitution and bring a new one.
“That new one will be the one which will enshrine principles of Hindu Rashtra, that will remove equality for minorities, that’ll create a Hindu Pakistan — and that isn’t what Mahatama Gandhi, Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and great heroes of freedom struggle fought for,” Tharoor had said.
Priyanka Chaturvedi (File photo)
