Praised PM Modi’s meeting with US Prez Trump in national interest: Shashi Tharoor
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 15 (PTI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday defended his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi following his meeting with US President Donald Trump, stating that he spoke with India's interests in mind and that "we cannot always speak only in terms of party interest."
Speaking to reporters, Tharoor said that Modi’s US visit had yielded some positive outcomes for the Indian people.
He also noted that Modi being the fourth world leader to meet Trump after he took office underscored India's growing importance on the global stage.
At the same time, he pointed out that the visit left some questions unanswered, such as why the issue of how illegal immigrants were returned to India was not addressed.
"Did PM Modi raise it behind closed doors? In diplomacy, not everything is laid out publicly," said Tharoor, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram.
Welcoming the agreement to hold trade and tariff negotiations over the next nine months, Tharoor remarked, "It's far better than Washington hastily and unilaterally imposing tariffs on us, which could have hurt our exports. To my mind, something good has been achieved, and I applaud that as an Indian. We can't always speak only in terms of party interests. I am not a party spokesman."
Tharoor emphasised that as an elected MP representing Thiruvananthapuram, he speaks as a responsible stakeholder in Indian democracy and on behalf of those who have placed their trust in him to exercise his judgment and speak fairly and freely on certain issues.
"In this particular case, I am speaking solely in the national interest," he added.
Tharoor further stated that throughout his 16-year political career, his approach has remained consistent; acknowledging and praising good governance, regardless of the party in power, while also criticising when necessary.
"When someone in government, whether from the Congress or any other party, does something right, it should be acknowledged and praised. When they do something wrong, it should be criticised," he said.
"I have done both—I have praised and I have criticised. In fairness, I base my stance on facts. That I believe is the right approach."
He added that consistently praising or criticising the government would undermine his credibility.
"If I were to praise all the time, no one would take me seriously. If I were to criticise all the time, no one would take me seriously either," he explained.
Tharoor also criticised the tendency of political parties to oppose each other reflexively.
"The real problem arises when the opposition believes everything the government does is wrong, and when the government believes everything the opposition says is wrong," he said.
"There has to be some give and take in a democracy," he added.
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KSCA expresses disappointment over missing IPL playoffs, says it was ready to host matches in B’luru
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has issued a clarification stating that it was fully prepared to host the IPL playoffs and final matches in Bengaluru but the fixtures were allotted to other venues.
In a media note, KSCA said it was disappointed with the decision. The association stated that its president, former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, had been in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and had formally conveyed the association’s readiness and interest in hosting the matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
KSCA said the IPL matches held in Bengaluru this season were appreciated for smooth conduct, crowd management and overall experience for spectators. It said this reflected its ability to handle high-profile matches.
The association also stated that it had sent a detailed communication to the BCCI explaining its preparedness and the operational arrangements followed during the current IPL season. According to KSCA, these systems have been in place since the start of the Indian Premier League in 2008 and were followed consistently, including during previous playoff matches hosted in Bengaluru.
The clarification added that the communication sent to the BCCI was only meant to provide factual and operational details and to bring clarity on logistical and stakeholder-related requirements involved in hosting such matches.
KSCA said that although it had shown willingness and preparedness, the BCCI has decided to allocate the playoff matches to other venues. It added that the reasons for this decision have not been formally shared with the association, but it respects the authority of the board in taking such decisions.
The association further said it remains ready to host matches of national and international importance and will continue to cooperate with the BCCI, franchises, government authorities and other stakeholders for conducting cricket events.
The statement was issued by KSCA official spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya, who also thanked the media and cricket fans for their continued support.
