Too much tweeting will lead to quitting: BJP to Shashi Tharoor

"Too much tweeting will lead to quitting" was the BJP's friendly word of caution to minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor today.

Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu asked why prime minister Manmohan Singh was silent on Tharoor's statement on Saudi Arabia being an interlocutor on the Indo-Pak ties.

Singh should give some "counselling" to Tharoor, the BJP member said participating in the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to President's Address.

Charging the government with not following a cohesive foreign policy, he said a minister was expected to be more careful about his statements.
   
This was not the first or second time that Tharoor has made such controversial statements, Naidu said.
   
Earlier, raising a Zero Hour mention, BJP member Najma Heptulla said that as per Shimla Agreement there was no scope for a third party mediation between India and Pakistan on bilateral issues.
   
Tharoor thought that he was still working more as a "UN envoy and not a minister", she said seeking clarification from the prime minister, who was present in the House.
   
She said such an "irresponsible" statement may seriously sabotage of the outcome of the prime minister's visit to Saudi Arabia.

The BJP member also questioned the need for foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan when Islamabad has not changed its attitude towards terrorism.