New Delhi: Minister of State for External
Affairs Shashi Tharoor appears to have waded into fresh
trouble with his comments on Jawaharlal Nehru, which his party
did not approve of.
His remarks in the presence of British MP Bikhu Parekh,
who had earlier made a critical assessment of the policies of
Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi at a lecture here yesterday, have
raised the hackles of his partymen.
"That Lord Parekh and I have fought alike on issues of
India's identity and India's domestic arrangements as well...
So we do, I am afraid, come from a similar outlook of the
world.
"I think his (is a) very clear summary for us of the
way in which Indian foreign policy drew from our founding
fathers' sense of our civilisational heritage, the
extraordinary contribution of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal
Nehru to the articulation of that civilisational heritage, the
manner in which that both enhanced India's standing in the
world and gave us the negative reputation for conducting
foreign policy as a sort of moralistic running commentary on
other people's behaviour."
Congress today expressed surprise at Tharoor's comments
seen as criticism of Nehru's foreign policy.
"I am very surprised by the style of Tharoor. He is a
member of the Congress and his responsibility is to carry
forward the legacy of Pandit Nehru and not to be critical of
it," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told agency.
Another senior Congress leaders said on condition of
anonymity that the party has "taken note" of his comments made
over a period of time.
Sources close to Tharoor said his remarks have been
"misinterpreted".
The minister had agreed with Parekh only on parts of his
assessment of Nehru's policies, which included the first Prime
Minister's commitment to democratic, pluralistic and secular
India, the sources said.
Ahmed said Nehru was instrumental in formulating the
foreign policy of the country even before Inedependence under
the inspiration and guidance of Mahatma Gandhi.
"That is why I am surprised. Even after Independence,
Nehru carried forward the policy of national consensus on
foreign policy," the Congress spokesman said.
He said the policy of non-aligned movement in
association with other great leaders of the world is well
recognised and appreciated in history.
"The entire world appreciates it. It was a new idea,"
Ahmed said.
‘Change in amendment clause required for NRI franchise’
Welcoming the Prime Minister's
offer of giving voting rights to NRIs, Minister of State for
External Affairs Shashi Tharoor today said the clause in the
proposed amendment to the relevant Act should be changed to
facilitate them exercise their franchise from abroad.
The government had moved a bill in Rajya Sabha in 2006
proposing amendments to the Representation of People's Act to
make provision for voting rights to non-resident Indians. But
as per the provision, an NRI will have to come to India to
exercise franchise.
"It would not be a generous gift to the 'Pravasis' if
we do not change the draft of the bill. The draft requires the
NRIs to come to India to vote," Tharoor said speaking at the
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas here.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, addressing the event
yesterday, had indicated that Indian passport holders living
abroad could get voting rights by the time of next Lok Sabha
elections in 2014.
Elaborating later on the Prime Minister's statement,
Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said the
government is planning to introduce a bill in the next session
of Parliament to facilitate voting rights for non-resident
Indians.
"I am very pleased like all of you about the Prime
Minister's comment about voting rights for the Pravasis,"
Tharoor said.
The minister said he had raised the issue during the
Pravasi Bhartiya Divas held in Mumbai in 2003 but "I was
unanimously shouted down."
The bill was sent to a Parliamentary Standing
Committee which had given its report. It was later referred to
the Law Ministry where it is pending.
Under the existing law, the name of an NRI gets
deleted from the voters' list if one stays more than six
months at a stretch outside the country.
The proposed amendments will allow an Indian citizen
residing abroad to enroll in voter's list and exercise
franchise even if he or she remained away from place of
residence in India owing to their employment, education or
otherwise.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, January 10, 2010, 08:46