Speaking about the Emergency imposed by the then Congress government 50 years ago, Tharoor said everyone is very clear that it was “a bad period in our history because of a lot of suspensions (of liberties),” but then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself called for elections and gracefully accepted the outcome.”I think all of us should use this anniversary to re-dedicate ourselves to the Constitution, to the values of freedom, to the values that our founders fought for and established,” he said, adding, “I hope everyone uses this 50th anniversary not to play political games and score political points, but rather to re-dedicate ourselves to those ideals.”Tharoor, whose statements in apparent support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been irking his party colleagues, also clarified that his recent visit to Russia was a pre-scheduled engagement, focused on parliamentary outreach and diplomacy.”It gave me an opportunity to connect with my counterparts,” he said adding that he also met his “old friend,” the Russian Foreign Minister.”Fortunately, the government’s delegation had already conveyed India’s message, so my role was simply to reinforce it. Russia has been a long-standing, trusted partner of India, and it’s important to nurture that relationship,” he said.”As for the visit itself — it included public events, media interviews, and student interactions,” Tharoor added.”None of the dramatic, James Bond-type speculation people have floated — no secret missions, nothing of that sort,” he stressed.
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