? Dismayed? Tharoor slams media, says he was misquoted

After media reports quoted him as criticising the foreign policies of Nehru and Gandhi that evoked strong reactions from the Congress party, Tharoor addressed a press conference in South Block on Sunday. In a press statement, he said, ?Irresponsible reporting may briefly gratify a few sensation-seekers in the media, but they do no credit to the need for informed discussion of foreign policy issues in our democracy. India deserves better. So, frankly, do I.?

Clarifying that he had made his comments as the chair of the session while ?summarising the main points? of Lord Bhiku Parekh?s speech on ?India?s Place in the World?, he stated what he had said on Friday at the ICWA: ?That Indian foreign policy drew from our sense of civilisation, and the extraordinary contribution by Mahatma Gandhi and Nehruji?s articulation of our civilisational heritage, both enhanced India?s standing in the world but also earned us the negative reputation of running a moralistic commentary on world affairs?that has come through very clearly in your speech.?

He said that he had gone on to point out that there was more to Nehruvian policies than that, alluding to the use of force in Goa as an example of realpolitik in Indian policy.

On Saturday, the Congress had seen the comments as an attack on Nehru and Gandhi?s foreign policies and had taken strong exception to Tharoor?s comments referring to them as ?running a moralistic commentary?. In fact, AICC media cell chairman Janardan Dwivedi had said on Saturday, ?It will take some time for Tharoor to understand Gandhi and Nehru in proper perspective.?

However, on Sunday, after Tharoor clarified his remarks, the Congress softened its stand. Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, ?What was quoted in the press in inverted commas was obviously and clearly not supportable, (and was) incorrect and untenable. Now that the minister has clarified that he never said so and indeed that he has been quoted out of context, the party has nothing more to add and the matter must be allowed to rest there.?

Tharoor, when asked if he had become an embarrassment to the Congress, shot back, saying, ?I am not going to take this nonsense anymore.?

Asked whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had spoken to him following the media reports, he refused to divulge as to who had talked to him. ?Yes, I have spoken to a number of people who are disturbed about this type of press reporting. There are some press reports that are less tendentious. But, as far as I am concerned, this is my view of the matter and I have shared this view with those I have spoken to,? Tharoor said, adding that it was against his principle to divulge any privileged communication.

While he took on the media for ?dishonest? reporting and ?lack of professionalism?, he also said that ?there were other media outlets present which had the integrity not to report a distorted version of my remarks, and I applaud those news channels and newspapers that saw the remarks in context?.