New Delhi: Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said he has withdrawn his allegation made during Lok Sabha polls against Shashi Tharoor that the Congress leader is an “accused in a murder case”.
Reacting to the move, Tharoor said he is instructing his lawyers to withdraw the case he had filed against Prasad.
“Pleased to announce the amicable settlement of my recent differences with Shri @ShashiTharoor Ji,” Prasad tweeted.
He shared the letter written by him to Tharoor March 20 withdrawing his allegation. Prasad also shared the letter Tharoor has written to him saying that he is happy to treat the matter as closed.
Tharoor said he is instructing his lawyers to withdraw the case he had filed.
“More than a year ago during the heat of campaign I had made a comment describing you as an accused in a murder case. On receiving subsequent information about the conclusion of the investigation in the concerned case I learnt that the said allegation against you is not factually correct accordingly, withdraw it unconditionally,” Prasad said in his letter.
Prasad said he made the allegation in response to Tharoor’s observations, “which is not of your own making but someone else’s comments,” presenting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a very “uncharitable light”.
“Though this was surely not your comment but its reiteration by you gave it prominence and led to circulation in entire country through media. I think if there is an introspection you too may be able to persuade yourself that the said comment being stated by you was avoidable,” the minister wrote.
Tharoor responding by saying “it was very gracious of you to withdraw your words in respect of myself, which had offended me greatly. I welcome your sentiments and in view of our long association, I am happy to treat the matter as closed.”
PTI