Kolkata, Jul 15 (IANS): A court here has summoned Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for his comment that a "Hindu Pakistan" would be created if the BJP returned to power, the petitioner said.

The Metropolitan Magistrate's directed that summons be issued to Tharoor to appear before it on August 14 - the next date of hearing - following a petition moved by lawyer Sumeet Chowdhury on Friday dubbing Tharoor's comments as "a deliberate and malicious act " that was "intended" at "outraging" religious feelings.

A case under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, was also slapped on the former union minister.

According to the magistrate, the summons should be issued to Tharoor through post and the social media site Twitter.

Speaking on "Threats faced by Indian Democracy and Secularism" at an event in his Lok Sabha constituency Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor had said: "The great danger is that if they (the BJP) are able to win a repeat of their current strength in the Lok Sabha, then frankly our democratic constitution as we understand will not survive because they will have all the three elements they need to tear up the Constitution of India and write a new one.

"That will be a new one which will enshrine the principle of Hindu Rashtra, will remove equality for minorities, that will create a Hindu Pakistan."