Tharoor, a former UN Under-Secretary-General, who boasts over 6.9 Million followers on Twitter, on Sunday (21 July), condemned the gruesome attack on the priest, Swami Harish Chander Puri, who was beaten by a man in an alleged racial attack on 18 July in New York's Floral Park.
The member of the lower house of Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) from the southern state of Kerala, also slammed US President Trump while referring to the "send her back" chants targeting Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar at one of Trump's recent rallies.
1/2 When the US President targets immigrants& encourages chants of "send her back" at rallies, real harm is inflicted on innocents. Have received
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) 21 July 2019
reports of a brutal attack on Swami Harish Chander Puri Ji, priest of the Shiv Shakti Peeth temple in Glen Oaks, Queens, NY.
2/2 Swamiji was attacked on Thursday by a man who reportedly screamed "this is my neighborhood." Thankfully this advocate of compassion & harmonious coexistence is recovering from his injuries. The danger of bigoted language, increasingly apparent in our India, hurts the US too.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) 21 July 2019
Although Trump had reportedly distanced himself from the "send her back" chants at his rally stating that he disagreed with them, a section of Indian netizens seemed to echo the views put forward by Tharoor and expressed disappointment at the alleged rising crimes against immigrants in the US.
Thank you @ShahiTharoor for raising concern about Indians living in the US - we were beginning to feel slightly abandoned!!!
— Riten Kumar (@kumar_riten) 21 July 2019
Bigotry and hatred doesn't have any boundaries and it can spread faster than fire. The hatred mongers should be mindful that the same hatred will burn them and their dear ones one day or the other.
— Sapien (@JusticeSapien) 21 July 2019
Shashi agreed!!! Its utmost dangerous when an elected official uses the pulpit to evoke hatred, and then there is effort to normalize hate in the name of freedom of speech.
— neha dagaonkar (@nehadagaonkar) 21 July 2019
This deserves millions of retweets
— Kaustubh Bhardwaj 🛐🕉️ (@Questperfection) 21 July 2019
Swami Puri suffered several bruises and abrasions all over his body after a 52-year-old attacker came from behind and started assaulting the priest, who was wearing religious garb, near a temple in Floral Park. The attacker allegedly yelled "this is my neighbourhood" as he beat the Swami.
A Hindu priest Swami Harish Chander Puri was attacked by a 52-year-old man while he was walking down the street in his religious garb near a temple in Floral Park, New York, according to a US media report. pic.twitter.com/3iq7adcRAP
— OM (@ompandey555) 21 July 2019
Swami Puri is a priest at a Hindu temple in Glen Oaks, Queens, New York.
