Party, government satisfied with Tharoor, says Congress
March 2nd, 2010 - 9:57 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 2 (IANS) The ruling Congress Tuesday said the party and the government were completely satisfied with the explanation Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor has given on his statement that Saudi Arabia was an interlocutor for India in putting pressure on Pakistan.
“The party and government are completely satisfied with the explanation given by Tharoor,” Congress general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters here. He met with the minister here Tuesday evening following the controversy in a section of media over his statement.
“The party did not seek explanation from him. It was an appointment fixed before (his) leaving for Saudi Arabia,” he added.
Tharoor issued a clarification earlier Sunday after his remarks to the media in Riyadh that Saudi Arabia was a potential interlocutor for India created a mini-storm in political circles back home.
“A section of the media has misread the remarks made by me in Riyadh last (Saturday) evening,” Tharoor said in his statement.
“What I basically said was that Saudi Arabia is a valuable interlocutor for India. Any other interpretation was neither meant nor warranted,” he added.
The opposition parties, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had interpreted it as ‘mediation’ by Saudi Arabia and demanded retraction of the statement and action against Tharoor.
The opposition benches are likely to bring up the issue in parliament, which resumes the budget session after a four-day Holi break.
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