Burqa of secularism preferable to Fascist intolerance of Khakhi shorts: Shashi Tharoor

Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's secularism comment, saying that the 'Burqa' of secularism is preferable to Khakhi shorts which signify intolerance and hatred.

"Burqa of secularism is preferable to the Khakhi shorts of the Italian Fascist of the 1920's. Shorts signify intolerance and hatred, which he (Modi) is now trying to hide. If you were to look at a burqa on one side and khakhi shorts on the other, I feel one is preferable to the other," Tharoor said.

"The burqa, whether you like it or not, is better than khakhi shorts. One may represent a certain attitude to a particular face, the other represents hatred and intolerance of other communities and other belief systems," he added.

Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting in Pune on July 14, where he held Congress' secular attitude responsible for the nation's downfall.

"Whenever the Congress Government faces problems, they hide behind the veil of secularism," Modi said.

He also blamed the Congress for the deteriorating economic condition of the country, and specifically targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a great economist, for failing to prevent the free fall of the rupee.