As the row over Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s controversial comment regarding ‘Hindu Pakistan’ intensified on Thursday, with the Congress even distancing itself from his remarks, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury shockingly sought to seek credit over the contentious terminology. On Wednesday, Tharoor had said that India could turn into a ‘Hindu Pakistan’ should the Bharatiya Janata Party win Lok Sabha elections in 2019. 

Reacting to the statement, the Left leader, reportedly decided not to condemn Tharoor’s remarks but instead take credit for the same. He reportedly said, “I was first to use the term ‘Hindu Pakistan’.” Yechury’s remarks came even as the Bharatiya Janata Party hit out at Tharoor, calling for an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi for it. 

Addressing the media, Yechury said that he had in fact first used the term ‘Hindu Pakistan’ during his farewell debate in the Parliament. He added that he had used the term in reference to warn Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "not turn the country into another Pakistan". 

While addressing a gathering on Wednesday, Tharoor had said, "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 and write a new one."  However, the BJP was quick to slam the remarks, with BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra stating that such a comment was an “attack on the democracy of India and the Hindus of India.” 

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh also stated that the Constitution was sacred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Facing backlash, the Congress party distanced itself from the controversy with party leader Jaiveer Shergill saying that “leaders of the Indian National Congress need to exercise caution.” “Governments will come and go, but India's constitution will not allow India to become Pakistan. I appeal to all Congress leaders and workers to be careful about the statements they make,” Shergill said. 

Later, a defiant Tharoor also issued a clarification on his remarks in a Facebook post, saying that his comments had been “bizarrely misconstrued” by the BJP