Tharoor evades questions on Pushkar

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Wednesday refused to comment on the controversy related to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death but said he was pleased to escape from breaking news to reflect on heritage at a literary fest here.

Going through troubled times in his personal life, Tharoor during the day attended the inauguration of the Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival, saying it was a "pleasure" to escape from breaking news to reflect on heritage.

Tharoor was mobbed by media persons twice - before the inaugural and after his address - at the Indian Museum here.

Questions like "Are you being framed in the Pushkar case?" and "When will you be brought in for questioning?" were thrown at a stoic Tharoor, who maintained a stony silence on both occasions.

After a lot of pushing and shoving, his security detail was able to escort him safely outside the venue. Gates of the museum were shut to contain clamouring journalists, some of whom fell during the process.

During his inaugural address, Tharoor remarked: "I must say we are living in an era where people turn from issues of heritage to breaking news. That's a big concern today. It's a pleasure for me to escape from breaking news to reflect on heritage."

Tharoor, a former union minister, said impatient youths were getting "seduced" by the attraction of the instant quality of television news, computer and internet.

"We are facing an era in which there is some threat to the sense of heritage not so much due to Western influences but rather due to ignorance on the part of our impatient youth who are more and more seduced by attractions of news of TV and the immediacy of the computer and internet and much less of what goes on in the past," he said.

Delhi Police have said Tharoor may be questioned soon in connection with the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar.

Pushkar, 52, was found dead in a luxury hotel in Delhi Jan 17, 2014. Police have now said she was poisoned.