Shashi Tharoor has urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to “cool a little bit” over the latter’s criticism of the West for commenting on internal matters of other countries.
New Delhi,UPDATED: Apr 3, 2023 18:57 IST
Shashi Tharoor (L) was reacting to S Jaishankar’s comments about the West (File)
By India Today News Desk: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to “cool a little bit” over the Union minister’s criticism of the West for its habit of commenting on internal matters of other countries.
“We need not be so thin-skinned. I think it’s very important that as a government we take something in our stride. If we react to every comment, we are doing ourselves a disservice. I will strongly urge External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to cool a little bit,” news agency ANI quoted Tharoor as saying.
On Sunday, during a ‘Meet and Greet’ organised by Bengaluru (south) MP Tejasvi Surya and Bengaluru (central) MP PC Mohan with over 500 young voters, joggers and visitors in the city’s Cubbon Park, Jaishankar said: “The West thinks it has a God-given right to comment on internal matters of other countries.”
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“There are two reasons (why we see the West commenting on India): It is because the West has a bad habit of commenting on others. They somehow think it is some kind of God-given right. They will have to learn only by experience that if they keep doing this, other people will also start commenting and they will not like it when it happens. And I see that happening.”
“The second part of the truth is that in our arguments, you are inviting the people to comment on you. Then more and more people are tempted to comment. We also need to stop giving generous invitations to the world saying there are problems in Indiaâ€æ So if somebody from here goes and says why are you standing by and not saying anything, then obviously they are going to comment. Part of the problem is them, and part of the problem is us. And I think both need fixing,” he added.
The minister was responding to a question about remarks made by Germany and the US over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP following his conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case.
(With input from ANI)
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