Shashi Tharoor's controversial remarks on Pandit Nehru's foreign policy got support on Sunday from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which said the Union Minister spoke the truth.
At the same time, the main Opposition blamed Tharoor for attacking media and sought an answer from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking whether Congress was heading to gag the media.
"British MP Bhikhu Parekh made a remark and possibly Tharoor concluding it said the stand of Nehru was more of a moralistic commentary. He (Tharoor) has for once spoken a truth even if it was done by him by mistake," party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told media persons in New Delhi.
Rudy maintained that his party was not concerned with what Tharoor said about Nehru's foreign policy and it was for Congress now to clarify "because BJP does believe that Nehruvian foreign policy has not done well to the state".
Reacting to the Tharoor's comment on media, which came in the wake of the controversy over his remarks on Pandit Nehru's foreign policy, Rudi said, "We are concerned about his remark on Indian media. He (Tharoor) has said that the Indian media is irresponsible, dishonest. Maybe he addressed a particular group. He said media persons do not have in depth knowledge of the subject," Rudi said.
Attacking Congress, Rudy wondered whether the ruling party was heading to "gag" media.
"BJP would like the Prime Minister to answer this question because we believe that media is the fourth pillar of democracy. And so when attempt is made to gag media, it's a matter of concern for all Indians today," he said.
Rudy described the remarks of Tharoor about media as an "attack on India media" and said BJP would like to know from him that when he called the Indian people cattle class, did the Indian media misrepresent him?
He also wondered whether media was irresponsible, when he was staying in a five star hotel on government money and media published it?
"Was the media irresponsible when the they questioned his statement after he said terrorist don't need visa to come in this country," he asked.
BJP would also like to know from Tharoor whether media was wrong when he on the day of Gandhi Jayanti, which is a national holiday, said the people of India celebrate the day instead of working, Rudy told media persons.
