New Delhi, September 18
Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today played down the Shashi Tharoor episode, an angry Congress appears to be in no mood to forgive the Minister of Sate for External Affairs for his “cattle class” and “holy cows” remarks.
Chorus within the party for easing out Tharoor, fuelled further by efforts of his aide Jacob Joseph to defend him, is building up. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s demand that Tharoor be made to resign followed by Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari openly backing Gehlot from party’s podium indicates that an action against Tharoor was likely soon.
While the Prime Minister appeared to be accommodative towards Tharoor at an iftaar hosted by him, party leaders were not so charitable. Openly criticising Tharoor for his “complete lack of political understanding”, they say the former UN diplomat could even be shown the door in the next Cabinet reshuffle. “Not immediately, but maybe in the next reshuffle,” a senior party leader said in response to the future of the twitter-happy former UN diplomat in the Congress.
Tewari was clear the party would take appropriate action against Tharoor for his “cattle class” comments at an appropriate
time.
At the party’s official briefing, he said: “We condemn what Tharoor said. We will take appropriate action (against Tharoor) at appropriate time”. Openly backing Gehlot, Congress spokesman said: “Obviously, when you have statements like this (from Tharoor), there are bound to be (such) reactions.”
Gehlot had called for the resignation of Tharoor during an iftar at his home in Jaipur on Thursday. He said the minister’s remarks were unfortunate and derogatory. “It is unfortunate and unbecoming on his part to make such comments. In my view he should tender his resignation,” Gehlot said.
“To make such irreverent comments is all the more despicable when one is holding a responsible position as that of the Minister of State for External Affairs,” Gehlot added.
However, it is not just this incident but a series of episodes highlighting Tharoor’s “lack of political understanding”, which are leading to the “proposed action”
“It is not this incident (Twitter) only…it is the pattern. First Sharm-el-Sheikh, then his sitting in Prime Minister’s chair and now the Twitter incident,” sources say.
Even in the case of joint statement between India and Pakistan at Sharm-el-Sheikh, Tharoor committed a faux pas by saying it was not a legal document that was binding on India. This statement was strongly disapproved, even by the ruling establishment
Even though Tharoor apologised for his comments and sought time from Congress president Sonia Gandhi to explain his side of the story, Joseph pitching in on his behalf has complicated the situation for him.
On Wednesday, Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan openly rebuked Tharoor, advising the former UN diplomat to learn the party’s culture and ethics. While situation appeared to be somewhat under control, especially after Tharoor’s apology, the controversy was rekindled after Joseph pitched in to defend his boss. Apart from posting the minister’s photo, he made public some comments made by other Twitter users that referred to union ministers as “humourless twits” and Natarajan as an “outdated Indian political spokesperson”.
Asked about Tharoor’s aide, who posted the minister’s photo in an aircraft on Twitter with a caption “Shashi Tharoor in cattle class”, Tewari said: “I don’t want to give importance to people who have no role in public life.”
