Dogged by controversies over his statements, Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor has said he only wanted to change the Indian political culture, which does not welcome discussions, but he has been "brought down".
"I have been brought down, but I am not going to make any bones about it," Tharoor said admitting that he could have been more restrained while putting his comments on Twitter. There were "elements in our society who rather revel in bringing down people as well", he said. Tharoor said he wanted to change the Indian political culture, which sadly doesn't welcome discussions, but did not have rank, authority or the background to do so.
"I only regret the visa tweet because of the nature of our political culture, which is not one sadly, where public discussion of issues is particularly welcomed," he said. Tharoor had, in his tweets, raised questions about the proposal to make it mandatory for those holding long-term multiple entry tourist visas to take a compulsory break of two months after 180 days in India.
"I would love to change that culture but I can't as an individual start setting the pace. I don't have the rank or the authority or the background to be doing that. I think I should have been, in that sense, a little more restrained about putting it on twitter or indeed even saying it on TV at that point," Tharoor said.
Asked if there has been a problem understanding the vocabulary of Indian politics, he said, "Possibly. I am not denying that."
On his tweeting, Tharoor, in an interview to CNN-IBN, said "the truth is when any thought you express can reach out to almost seven lakh people, wouldn't any politician kill for an audience like that?" The Minister was in spotlight earlier for his "holy cow" and "cattle class" comments on Twitter on the government's austerity measures as well his questioning of immigration policy.
Defending his tweeting on government policies, he said, "Everybody else is doing it. Even the Prime Minister of Australia tweets. Foreign Secretary of Britain David Miliband tweets and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tweets. In fact, when she was in Delhi there were a dozen tweets a day about all her activities and her meetings." PTI
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