Jaipur Literature Festival 2025: 'Tying Muslim Man To Tree & Flogging Him Till He Says Jai Shri Ram Is Not My Hindu Dharma,' Says Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor launched a fresh attack on the ruling BJP on Sunday while he attended the Jaipur Literature Festival 2025. Speaking about his stance on Hinduism, he said that today, the Hindu dharma has been reduced to flogging a Muslim man and making him say 'Jai Shri Ram'.

"I actually am somebody who can proudly say I'm a Hindu, but my understanding of Hinduism, anchored in extensive reading of the classic Hindu texts, but at the same time selecting what I wish to adhere to, as Hinduism permits me to, is not compatible with this other view of Hinduism, which is now called 'Hindutva', as the hooliganism of the British football fan that says, if you support our team, you're with us, and if you don't support our team, we're going to hit you on the head. That is not Hinduism, but that's what some people have reduced Hinduism to in our politics," he said.

Tharoor further explained, "It's possible to argue not only from a secular liberal perspective, but also from a believer's perspective. And that's what I've been trying to do. You can be absolutely a convinced Hindu and say that this is actually a disservice to my faith.

And I have said to many members of the Sangh parivar that tying a Muslim man to a tree and flogging him to death until he says Jai Shri Ram is not Hindu dharma; it's not my Hindu dharma. And they can't tell me it's theirs."

The Thiruvananthapuram MP then urged people to stand up to retain the essence of true Hinduism in the society. "That's frankly what I've taken on as a bit of a mission. I'm not going to be around in politics forever. I know I'm already an ex-minister. I realise one day I'll be an ex-MP. But I'm never going to be an ex-writer, and this is how I'll keep voicing my opinion," he concluded.