Tharoor's remark on Saudi Arabia utterly irresponsible: BJP

The BJP today condemned as "utterly irresponsible" minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor's remark that Saudi Arabia could act as an interlocutor between India and Pakistan, saying it will seek a clarification from prime minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament.

Tharoor's comment is "utterly irresponsible and we thoroughly condemn it," BJP spokesman Ravishankar Prasad said here. The minister made the statement while being a part of the official delegation accompanying the prime minister on his visit to Saudi Arabia, he noted.

"Has the statement been made with the consent of the prime minister? Is this a trial balloon?" Prasad asked. Since the time of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, either there have been no talks with Pakistan or the talks were bilateral, Prasad said.

"There has been no third party mediation. Tharoor's remarks are an insult to India's sovereignty. We will seek a clarification from the prime minister in Parliament," the BJP spokesman said.

He said these comments have come just after the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan and the attack targeted at Indians in Kabul. Prasad's remarks came despite clarification from Tharoor that he did not mean that Saudi Arabia should be a mediator.