Indian Premier League

I am not going to resign: Shashi Tharoor

Minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday ruled out resigning from the government and rejected charges that he had misused his office or indulged in corruption in IPL Kochi team’s bid.

“Have I done anything wrong to resign. When you have done nothing wrong, it seems to me it means that you are giving more importance to other people’s perception. I am not going to resign. Obviously I am not going to be an embarrassment to the Congress Party. These are false and motivated charges levelled by business interests of some vested interests,” he said.

Tharoor said he has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he comes back from abroad to explain his side of the story. “I will certainly be conveying my story to the Prime Minister,” he said adding he would also meet Congress president. Asked if he expected the controversy to figure in Parliament, he said “this may be one more issue in Parliament which he respects”. He would be going to Parliament in the spirit of a “worshipper”.

The minister said he was extremely sad and found it deeply offensive that that he was being “vilified and accused” of making pecuniary gains and the integrity and honesty being questioned. “I have quit a UN job with a good salary for the salary of a minister in the government and find it extremely upsetting (that charges have been made),” he said.