NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday made light of Union Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor’s “cattle class” comments on Twitter, terming his take on austerity a “joke”. “It’s no big issue,” Singh said when asked about Tharoor’s comments at an Iftaar party hosted by him. However, his party, the Congress, evidently did not get the joke.
Tharoor tweeted an apology late Thursday for his “cattle class” comment.
By the time the message was received by party bosses, a decision had already been taken on him.
Congress sources said Tharoor was on his way out. He would no more be in the elite class of the Cabinet, but become an aam admi, whenever a Cabinet reshuffle was effected, thus returning to the “cattle class”.
However, there was no word on whether he would be in the company of the “holy cows”.
The Congress ignored Tharoor’s apology and sided with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who demanded his resignation.
“Congress party will take whatever action is appropriate at an appropriate time,” said party spokesperson Manish Tiwari. On Gehlot’s demand for Tharoor’s resignation, Tiwari said, “It is natural. Obviously when you have statements like this, there are bound to be reactions.”