Condemning the remark made by Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Giriraj Singh on Sunday said Tharoor would have been silenced if he had made the remark in Pakistan.
"Had Tharoor been in Pakistan, he would have been made to shut his mouth. He has not only insulted the Prime Minister, but crores of Hindus and followers of Lord Shiva in this country. How can Rahul Gandhi claim to be a follower of Lord Shiva when his party man can say such a thing? He should come out and apologise on behalf of Tharoor. The Congress has crossed all limits now," Singh told ANI.
Accusing the Congress of practicing politics of "division and hatred," senior BJP leader Anil Vij added, "It (Tharoor's remark) is extremely condemnable. The Congress party is strategically imparting a politics of division and hatred. On one hand, Rahul Gandhi claims to be a devout follower of Lord Shiva, on the other hand, the Congress leaders, in some way or the other, are humiliating the Hindus of this country. It's time we reject this."
Earlier in the day, Tharoor, while speaking at an event in Bengaluru, had said Prime Minister Modi was, in a way, like a "scorpion sitting on a Shivling."
However, the Congress leader later clarified that the comment was made by an unnamed member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) six years ago, and not by him.