One can't use UN as political platform: Tharoor on Swaraj's

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Tuesday lashed out at the BJP for criticising him for describing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN address as a "campaign" speech and alleged that the saffron party "politicised" foreign platforms.

Hitting out at the Congress leader, BJP had earlier said the opposition party defied a convention of all political parties speaking in the same voice on India's stand abroad.

"BJP wants...and criticise me, I will also be equally harsh and say, I must say that they have really disappointed all true patriots by the way in which they have politicised foreign platforms.

They have done so starting with the Prime Minister and now ending with the foreign minister," Tharoor told reporters here.

"This is not the way in which India should conduct its foreign policy. I am quite confident that if the Congress party comes back to power, we will not fight our political battles abroad," he said.

Questioning whether Swaraj's address was a UN speech or BJP slogans, Tharoor had tweeted that she devoted the first half of her speech mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a "New India" and discussing programmes as the Swachh Bharat Mission.

"Bit rich to be criticised by the BJP for describing Sushma Swaraj's speech as a campaign speech. She mentioned Narendra Modi 10 times during her address and spoke about/on behalf of India only five times. If you use the UN as a political platform you can't hide behind the flag," Tharoor said.

Tharoor told reporters here he was normally very supportive of the union government in international forums because "national interests transcend political interests."
Tharoor claimed he was "very mild" in his criticism of Swaraj's speech, saying he was disappointed that the External Affairs Minister chose to use an international forum to make what was a political speech "aimed at her voters in India rather than at the international audience."
Trivedi had said, "There has been an established convention in politics since independence that political parties are unanimous on foreign issues, at least when it comes to taking a stand at the United Nations (UN) where India's position is not of a political party."
Replying to a query if prosecution should take place in the deal and whether Congress would do so if it is voted to power, he said "Congress believes that a thorough investigation is required."