After office attack, Shashi Tharoor shown black flags by BJP workers over 'Hindu Pakistan' remark

The protesters placed a wreath with the message "Pakistan Office" at the entrance of Tharoor's office.

Thiruvananthapuram: A day after the BJP's youth wing activists defaced his office protesting his controversial 'Hindu Pakistan' remark, saffron party workers on Tuesday waved black flags at Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram.

The BJP workers, including some women, raised slogans against Tharoor and waved black flags when he came to address a function on Tuesday evening, police said. There was a heavy deployment of police personnel at the venue of the function at Pachalloor. Police said they ensured none of the protesters could get near Tharoor, adding no arrests had been made.

Earlier in the day, Tharoor addressed a rally outside Raj Bhavan to protest the failures of the BJP government and the ineffectiveness of the Left government in the state. He tweeted, "Addressed a mammoth @udfkerala rally outside Raj Bhavan to protest the governance failures of the BJP government & the ineffectiveness of the Left State government. Leaders of all constituent parties were present & spoke powerfully."

Addressed a mammoth @udfkerala rally outside Raj Bhavan to protest the governance failures of the BJP government & the ineffectiveness of the Left State government. Leaders of all constituent parties were present & spoke powerfully pic.twitter.com/kORBAmUpUS — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 17, 2018

Members of the Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) had on Monday raised slogans against Tharoor and poured black oil in front of his office while demanding an apology for his comments where he said if the BJP is voted to power again, they will rewrite the Constitution and pave the way for the creation of a "Hindu Pakistan".

Following the incident, Tharoor took to Twitter and said, "Today @YUVAMORCHABJP vandals attacked my constituency office in Thiruvananthapuram. They poured black engine oil on signs, doors, walls & gate, drove away innocent citizens waiting with their petitions, put up offensive banners & shouted slogans asking me to go to Pakistan."

1/2 Today @YUVAMORCHABJP vandals attacked my constituency office in Thiruvananthapuram. They poured black engine oil on signs, doors, walls & gate, drove away innocent citizens waiting with their petitions, put up offensive banners & shouted slogans asking me to go to Pakistan. — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 16, 2018

"We have all been warned. The BJPs answer to the simple question have you given up the dream of a Hindu Rashtra? is apparently vandalism & violence. That is the face they have shown in Thiruvananthapuram today. Most Hindus will say these Sanghi goondas do not represent us," he added.

2/2 We have all been warned. The BJP’s answer to the simple question “have you given up the dream of a Hindu Rashtra?” is apparently vandalism & violence. That is the face they have shown inThiruvananthapuram today. Most Hindus will say these Sanghi goondas do not represent us. — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 16, 2018

Last week, Tharoor said that India will turn into a "Hindu Pakistan" if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes back into power after 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The veteran Congress leader claimed that the saffron party will tear apart the Constitution of India and make their own set of rules. 

"If they (BJP) win a repeat in the Lok Sabha our democratic constitution as we understand it will not survive as they will have all the elements they need to tear apart the constitution of India & write a new one," Tharoor had said.

“That new one 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,” he had added.

(With inputs from PTI)