Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor were involved in a war of words over a 2009 dinner hosted by Puri at his residence in New York which was attended by Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.
Puri was then India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Shashi Tharoor had mentioned meeting George Soros at Puri's residence in New York.
The ruling BJP had accused senior leaders in the Congress of colluding with Soros to "destabilise" the country.
Puri claimed that it was Tharoor, who was then minister of state for external affairs, who provided the list of invitees for the dinner, which included Soros, TOI reported.
"In retrospect, it is clear the name (of Soros) was included because the gentleman in question was among the benefactors of the Rajiv Gandhi foundation, and the minister of state was keen to meet him," Puri said taking to platform X.
Tharoor responded on Saturday to the union minister's claim by disputing Puri's account and accusing the BJP of exaggeration.
Tharoor said that he was completely unaware of any Soros having any connection to any foundation in India.
In a message posted on X, Tharoor said:
"Our recollections differ, dear Hardeep. There were several guests present at your well-attended dinner whom i had never met before. But i am not objecting; it is entirely appropriate that on such an occasion the Indian Ambassador should have a guest-list spanning a wide cross-section of influential international and local opinion. I see no reason for either of us to disavow our contacts with anyone at the earlier stages of our lives in New York or Geneva.
Incidentally, since you mention it, I was completely unaware of any Mr Soros having any connection to any foundation in India — and have never discussed it with him either. All i remember hearing from him at that occasion was his strong objection to our Government’s stand on the West’s responsibility for global warming!"
The matter began, according to NDTV, on December 15 when an X user who identified himself as a BJP worker from Karnataka showed Mr Tharoor an old post from 2009 in which Mr Tharoor wrote, "Met old friend George Soros, upbeat about India and curious about our neighbourhood. He's far more than an investor: a concerned world citizen."