Cong sticks to its tough line on Tharoor despite PM remark

New Delhi, Sep 19 (PTI) Notwithstanding Indian Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh downplaying the Twitter remarks of
Shashi Tharoor, Congress party Saturday appeared to be
sticking to its tough line on the controversial remarks of the
Indian Minister over economy class travel.
"The party stands by whatever it has said and it has
nothing to add or subtract," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmad
told reporters when asked about the party line in the wake of
Singh dismissing the remark as a joke.
He was referring to the party's strong disapproval of
Tharoor's "cattle class" comment and said appropriate and
necessary action would be taken at an appropriate time.
Party spokesman Manish Tewari had said this in the
backdrop of demand by Chief Minister of India's northern state
of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot for Tharoor's resignation.
But, after a meeting with Congress party President Sonia
Gandhi, Gehlot sought to close the issue after the Prime
Minister's comments.
The Prime Minister had Friday dismissed Tharoor's comment
as a "joke" leading to a feeling that the Minister of State
for External Affairs minister may be spared.
Tharoor's reference to economy class air travel by
ministers in furtherance of government's austerity measures as
"cattle class" had triggered a controversy.
Congress party sources said that partymen were also
agitated over the remarks by Tharoor's OSD on Twitter in which
he has also attacked party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan and
that no action has been taken against the official. PTI