Tharoor told to steer clear of controversies

NEW DELHI: Minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor's informal and candid avatar on the microblogging site Twitter could well be the casualty of his controversial "cattle class, holy cows" tweet that got him into trouble with his party, Congress.

Mr Tharoor, who met Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday, was asked by the party to steer clear of any controversies, even in jest.

The minister's witticism, which was wryly critical of Congress' on-going austerity drive, not only upset the party high command but also prompted Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Ghelot to demand his resignation after the minister's aide took on the party on Mr Tharoor's behalf.

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad said: "Any well-wisher of the party, government and Tharoor will advise him to desist from any comments or action, even jokingly, that would hurt the sentiments of the common man."

Mr Tharoor, who is just back from his official visit to Liberia and Ghana, has been subdued on his Twitter account ever since the controversy over his remarks threatened to blow out of proportion. He has restrained himself to posting information about his official work and replying to questions about his constituency Triuvananthapuram mostly.

The minister, who was suitably taciturn after his meetings with Congress top leaders, is believed to have explained his viewpoint. Mr Tharoor had even earlier rubbed the party the wrong way with his comment that the Sharm-el-Sheikh Indo-Pak joint statement was not ���legal document��� as it was only a "diplomatic paper".

His attempt to defend PM on that issue seemed to have held him in good stead as it was only Mr Singh who came to the minister's rescue. At the Iftar party hosted by him on Friday PM had downplayed Mr Tharoor's remarks saying it was "only a joke". His party has signalled that former UN under secretary-general will have to watch his step as he makes his way through the labyrinth of public life in India.