NEW DELHI: BJP has demanded an apology from the Congress party after its Kerala MP Shashi Tharoor made fun of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for wearing ''all sorts of outlandish headgear" but refusing to wear a skull-cap.
Slamming Tharoor for his remarks, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said, ''Congress party and Shashi Tharoor ji please explain what's the English meaning of outlandish and hilarious headgear? You can't get away after insulting the tribal and Northeast people."
"I demand an apology from the Congress party for insulting the people of India`s Northeast and tribals. Shashi Tharoor described Northeast people and Naga tribal headgears as funny looking outlandish and hilarious," Rijiju said in a tweet.
Congress Party & Shashi Tharoor ji please explain what's the English meaning of outlandish & hilarious headgear?
You can't get away after insulting the Tribal & North East people. https://t.co/8nQ22AyNHA— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 6, 2018
The BJP demands an apology from the Congress party for insulting the people of Northeast and tribals, apart from seeking an explanation from Tharoor, the MoS said.
Another Minister and BJP leader Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore too expressed his displeasure over Congress leader's remarks and said, "Shashi Tharoor has insulted the proud cultural heritage of the people of Northeast.''
"This condescension and arrogance towards the people of India have become hallmark of @INCIndia," he added.
Shashi Tharoor insults the proud cultural heritage of the people of North-East.
This condescension & arrogance towards the people of India have become hallmarks of @INCIndia. pic.twitter.com/vul4SOtpVN
— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 6, 2018
Echoing similar views, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav asserted that Tharoor should learn to respect all customs. "Shocking and condemnable he is (Tharoor) making such irresponsible statements on Indian cultures and traditions. He should learn to respect all customs," he said.
Several BJP leaders have too ridiculed Tharoor for his jibe at the PM and asked him to withdraw his statement.
Addressing a seminar, the Thiruvananthapuram Congress MP had said, "Why does our Prime Minister, who wears all sorts of outlandish headgears wherever he goes around the country and around the world, but always refuses to wear a Muslim skull cap?
"You see him in hilarious Naga headgears and feathers. You see him in various kinds of extraordinary outfits, which is a right thing for a Prime Minister to do. Indira Gandhi has also been photographed wearing various kinds of costumes. But why he still always says no to one?"
"Why does he refuse to wear green, the colour that he says is identified with Muslim appeasement? What kind of talk it is?" Tharoor said.
Tharoor had earlier kicked up a political storm with his "Hindu Pakistan" remarks.
Coming down heavily on the BJP led government at the Centre, the Congress veteran had claimed that communal violence and killing in the name of cow vigilantism had increased in the last four years.
Citing Home Ministry figures, Tharoor claimed that at least 2,920 incidents of communal violence had occurred in the country in the last four years, leaving 389 people dead and scores injured.
Tharoor said that such incidents had increased as PM Modi had not come out openly and condemned the killings.
(With Agency inputs)
