The clarification from the former minister of state for external affairs came in the backdrop of hectic activities witnessed at various levels of the government focusing on the role of Tharoor and Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi.
The clarification offered by Shashi Tharoor in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, giving reasons for resigning from the Union Cabinet, has left many questions unanswered. The statement turned out to be a cleverly drafted emotive appeal to garner support in his home state of Kerala.
The clarification from the former minister of state for external affairs came in the backdrop of hectic activities witnessed at various levels of the government focusing on the role of Tharoor and Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi.
On Tuesday, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee held a high-level meeting with home minister P Chidambaram and agriculture minister and ICC president-elect Sharad Pawar during which the Modi issue was also discussed.
Tharoor sought to gain a high moral ground in the resignation episode, saying he had quit to avoid embarrassment to the UPA. At the same time he appealed to the prime minister to investigate the charges against him, “My conscience is clear and I know that I have done nothing improper or unethical, let alone illegal. The charges against me should be thoroughly investigated.”
Despite his appeal, problems for Tharoor seem to be far from over, as far as the opposition is concerned. They have demanded action against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act. “It is good he has resigned. But the issue doesn’t not end there. Action should be taken on charges of corruption,” CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said.
The opposition also tried to puncture his attempts to gain public sympathy (in Kerala) for having brought the state on the IPL map. Ridiculing this claim, various opposition leaders wondered whether Kerala needed IPL or BPL (below poverty line). The reference was to the ongoing controversy on food for all in the BPL category.
Significantly, Tharoor’s statement was devoid of any reference to the major charges of financial irregularities being levelled against him in the bidding for the Kochi franchise. The statement, which was drafted after high-level consultations with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and other senior Congress leaders, was heard by an attentive House.
At the end of it, Congress MPs jostled with each other to shake hands with Tharoor and appreciate his presentation.
The former minister repeatedly thanked Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, “It was a great privilege to serve the government and the Congress under two of the finest public servants our country has ever had.”
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