It was joke: PM on Tharoor’s twitter comments

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought to downplay the comments of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor on austerity on ‘Twitter’ saying “it was a joke”.

Asked about the controversy surrounding the “cattle class” remarks of Tharoor regarding the economy class travel by ministers in furtherance of government’s austerity measures,he said,”it was a joke”.

The Prime Minister was speaking to reporters at an Iftar party hosted by him,which was attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari,Congress President Sonia Gandhi,BJP leader L K Advani,Singh’s cabinet colleagues among others.

Rahul Gandhi refused to comment on Shashi Tharoor controversy,saying whatever had to be said has been said by the party.