NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday stepped up attack against Congress party and its Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor for the 'Hindu Pakistan' remark and said these observations are highly objectionable.
"Mr Rahul Gandhi, such kinds of abuses against Indian democracy your leaders have been using is something which has become a constant feature of the Congress party," BJP spokesman Sambit Patra told reporters here. This statement and use of the phrase 'Hindu Pakistan' is deliberate and it makes an assault on Indian democracy, he said adding "the remarks also make assault on the Hindus".
Mr Patra said while there is a general mood of satisfaction in the country that the Indian economy has surpassed France - as per the latest World Bank report - but the statement was an "insult" to compare the world's sixth largest economy with Pakistan.
"Modiji aur Bhajpa se nafrat karte karte, Congress party Hindustan ke Loktantra ke khilaf bolna arambh kar dete haen (By their sheer hatred for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP, the Congress party often crosses Lakshan Rekha and even starts attacking Indian democracy)," Mr Patra said.
In this context, the BJP leader cited instances wherein recent past other Congress president Rahul Gandhi has used the phrase "khoon ki dalali (merchandising of blood)" in his criticism on surgical strikes against Pakistan.
"Even Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that Indian army targets civilians and does not kill terrorists," Mr Patra said similarly other Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyer and Saifuddin Soz have also from time to time demeaned India.
The BJP spokesman cautioned the Congress chief saying, "Rahulji, we would like to warn you, this is the not the way of healthy politics".
Earlier in identical tweets, Mr Patra and his party colleague Shobha Karandlaje, MP from Karnataka, have flayed Mr Tharoor for his remarks.
"Shameless Congress doesn't lose any opportunity to demean India & defame the Hindus.
From "Hindu terrorists" to "Hindu-Pakistan" the Pak appeasing policies of Congress are unparalleled," Mr Patra tweeted.
Udupi Chikmagalur lawmaker Ms Karandlaje also wrote: "Mr Shashi Tharoor says India will become "Hindu-Pakistan" if BJP returns to power in 2019. Shameless Congress party doesn't lose any opportunity to demean India and defame Hindus".
Mr Tharoor on Wednesday was quoted in a section of media stating that if it returns to power in 2019, the BJP will write a new Constitution which will turn the country into 'Hindu Pakistan'.
The Thiruvananthapuram MP, Mr Tharoor was on Saturday granted regular bail by a Delhi court in the case relating to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death in January 2014 in a luxury hotel in Delhi.