By IANS,
New Delhi : Recalling Shashi Tharoor as a “very talented” and “outstanding” student of their alma mater, St. Stephen’s College, Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Tuesday said his decision to step down as minister was sensible but “sad”.
Tharoor was forced to quit the government on Sunday in the wake of allegations that he had misused office to benefit his friend Sunanda Pushkar in the Kochi Indian Premier League franchise.
“If Tharoor felt it (his continuing in office) will be uncomfortable for the government and the party, his decision to step down is sensible and good,” Khurshid told reporters here at a function of the minority affairs ministry he also looks after.
Recalling Tharoor’s days as a student of St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, Khurshid said: “He was in my college. He was very talented. He was one of the most talented and outstanding people of his generation in the college.”
Khurhsid said Tharoor also held a “very high office in the United Nations. We were very happy to see him performing well in the government.”
“But political structures and systems have their own requirements, and all of us are accountable. It is sad that it (the resignation) has happened, but let us move on to do something better,” the minister said, referring to opposition charges that Tharoor had misused his official position to secure sweat equity worth Rs.70 crore for Pushkar in the Kochi franchise.
Khurshid dismissed the talk that Tharoor’s exit was unceremonious.
“There is no unceremonious manner. There is only one manner of leaving government, which is by way of resigning. If you feel that you have caused difficulties to the government and party, then all of us feel the party comes first and, therefore, we step down.”
He denied that the corporate affairs ministry was probing the IPL issue.
“I only know what the finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee) said in parliament that he will ensure action against everybody who has committed any wrong in the matter, and get the matter thoroughly investigated by concerned agencies.”
“We are not policemen moving out with a rod in our hands. We will take action if there is any complaint related to company affairs… in case somebody has not filed the balance sheet or appointed directors in a wrong manner,” he said.