Shashi Tharoor with Barkha Dut - Over IPL controversy

In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Barkha Dutt, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor says that his party has not left him out in the cold, and that "resigning would mean I've given up."

Tharoor says he will convey the details of his relationship with the Kochi Indian Premier League (IPL) to Sonia Gandhi and the Prime minister. "I have done nothing wrong, I stand with my head held high," he said.

The minister has been accused first by IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi and then by the BJP and Left of inappropriate links to the Kochi IPL team bought last month for Rs 1,530 crores.

The Opposition has demanded that Tharoor be sacked, and his party has distanced itself from the minister, describing this as a personal matter and one that the minister should explain. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said he will examine the facts before deciding whether any action is required. (Read: Need facts first: PM on action against Tharoor) Sonia Gandhi met with senior party leaders on Wednesday evening to discuss the Tharoor controversy. The BJP has confirmed it will bring up the issue in parliament on Thursday. (Read: Sack Tharoor, says BJP; Congress keeps distance | Sonia meets Congress leaders)

Tharoor tells NDTV, "I'm still reeling...I've spent a lifetime in international public life without the slightest taint...on my integrity... It's the one thing I never thought anybody would ever have any excuse to say against me. So I'm pretty angry. I've gotten to the point, it seems, where I can do nothing without being attacked."

When asked about charges of quid pro quo - that he used his ministerial office to lobby for the team that won the bid and that in return, his close friend, Sunanda Pushkar was rewarded with a gift of 70 crores in equity - Tharoor said , "How on earth can any minister use influence to get an outcome guaranteed from a closed envelope process? I didn't even know the amount this team was going to pay... that wasn't part of my help for them. There were 5 bidders after all...no minister can guarantee the numbers of the other bidders. How could I use my ministerial power to guarantee the outcome?" (Read: I am not a proxy for Tharoor: Sunanda Pushkar)

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• ndtv
• shashi
• tharoor
• barkha
• dutt
• Sunanda
• Pushkar
• lalit
• modi
• kerala
• cochi

[XXXMuSiCMAnIaXXXI]

@BismillahAli

where you get these kind of ideas?.1)there are so many politicians in india,who have concubines and whores surrounding them,ready to please them whenever they want.2)You dont do everything for money.,He was undersecretary general in UN,he has achieved so much in his career.He came to india,because he want to contribute something to his country.

[XXXMuSiCMAnIaXXXI]

@LaliSJamwal ..first send lalit modi out of india.........

[hatke159]

When ever Congress men get caught with corruption they go to Barkha dutt and both of them make these type of things to brainwash public that they are innocent..

THis is just Good Cop , Bad Cop Drama..

[LaliSJamwal]

send him and sunada pout of india both are corrupt anf filthy not fit for sacred bharati soil.

[nikhiltomb]

@BismillahAli spend smetime asking these questions before choosing sources nxt tym. What is the reputation of the media? Is the channel party affiliated? Does ny party has share in this particular media? What is the reputation of the person? What was his motivation which led to the controversy? Wikipedia nd blogs can nt b considered as a legit source of information. For example, educational institutions ll nt accept wikipedia or personal blogs as legit sources cuz those can b edited by nyone.

[nikhiltomb]

@BismillahAli. But there is a keen difference between u think urself as a knwldgble person and and smebdy else acknwldge u as a knwldgble one. I do undrstnd tht facts r being opposed and rediculed as a part of the process. But, thtz is also the way how the media sells their produt - NEWS. They pretend 2 b the voice of people and people think that they r telling the truth. The fact is they need people to watch their channel nd controversies does tht job perfectly.

[BismillahAli]

@nikhiltomb

Although I am not an Indian my knowledge about true India is much better than most Indians. Whatever I mentioned about Shashi Tharoor were true facts (not false). And do you know - All truth pass through three stages. First, it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed; third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

My sources were: Several Indian TV news channels, journals, Wikipedia, blogs etc and all of them had similar views about him.

[nikhiltomb]

@BismillahAli. Ok first of all, if u r not an Indian citizen I am wasting my time since u have no Idea whatsoever with our politics. Consider that as my response to ur first statement. The rest of ur response is pointless. Although, here is some tips: have and open mind to accept the reality. Debates shoud nt make u mad but it is a place whr u shud learn somethin. Don't judge people based on some thing that u heard cuz it might nt be true. Alwys make sure the sources r legitimate then argue.

[nikhiltomb]

@Triptab I don't kno what are your sources of information. But, as far as I know he is a man who lives up his values.

[BismillahAli]

@nikhiltomb

1) His personal lifestyle rocked your Indian media n parliament. He is a womanizer and only bad women like Sunanda Puskar get attracted to him. His first wife, who was a good woman divorced him. (2) He failed to make money illegally in the UN so and he came to India but Lalit Modi revealed beforehand his evil intentions. (3) I am not interested in his future plans but there are many who want to eat his shit might be interested. So Barkha should have asked the question for them.