KOLKATA: Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor was sued by a Kolkata-based lawyer at the Bankshal court on Saturday for his 'Hindu Pakistan' remarks.
A case under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of IPC and Section 2 of The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 was filed by Sumeet Choudhury.
Tharoor had said during his speech at a function in Thiruvananthapuram the other day that the BJP, given another mandate in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, would turn India into 'Hindu Pakistan' and tear its Constitution.
"His statement has hurt the religious sentiments of Indian citizens, insulted the Constitution and has been intended to create great conflict and disharmony based on religious divide. He has also insulted Indians by comparing an Islamic state like Pakistan with a secular state like India. He has also ignored the fact that India is a far superior nation compared to Pakistan, which most countries scorn and disdain," the petition read.
The court has served the notice to Tharoor and has summoned him to be present before it on August 14.
Tharoor had said, "If the BJP wins a repeat in the Lok Sabha, our democratic Constitution, as we understand it, won't survive as they'll have all the elements they need to tear apart the Constitution of India and write a new one. That new one will be the one which will enshrine principles of Hindu Rashtra. That will remove equality for minorities and create a Hindu Pakistan."
Tharoor's statement has drawn flak from various political sides, with the BJP demanding an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
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