Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday stood by his decision to accept the Centre's invite to lead a multi-party delegation abroad to put across India's stand against Pakistan on terrorism, saying "I see no politics in it".
At the same time, he denied any knowledge about any names being suggested by the Congress for the delegation, saying that it was between the party and the central government.
Tharoor, speaking to reporters here, said that Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju recently officially invited him to lead the delegation in view of his past experience in handling foreign affairs and "I immediately agreed".
"I see no politics in it. According to me, politics become important when we have a nation. We all are Indians. When the nation is in crisis and the central government seeks the help of a citizen, what other answer would you give," the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.
He further said that everyone saw the 88 hours long battle with Pakistan and therefore, "we all need to have a role in what the world is saying about us".
"It is in that spirit I agreed to it," Tharoor added.
On being asked by reporters whether the Congress was unhappy with his decision and why it released the names of the people it had suggested for the delegation, Tharoor said the media should pose these queries to the grand old party.
"You will have to ask them (Congress)," he said when asked whether the party has any reservations about him leading the delegation.
He also said that when he initially received a call from Rijiju inviting him to lead the delegation, he had informed the party about it.
On reporters' queries whether the party was trying to insult him by releasing the names suggested by it for the delegation, Tharoor said that he cannot be insulted so easily. "I know my worth," he asserted.
He said the Centre sought his service for the nation and he was always ready for it.
"National service is the duty of every citizen," he added.
The Congress MP further said that when the country is attacked, "all of us speaking in one voice and standing united is good for the nation, according to me".
The central government has named Tharoor as leader of one of the seven multi-party delegations to project India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations and carry to the world the country's message of zero tolerance against terrorism.
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said earlier in the day that there was a difference between "being in the Congress and of the Congress".
He also said that in a democratic system, when individual MPs are sent as part of an official delegation, MPs must seek the concurrence of the party.
Ramesh also said that the party nominated former Union Minister Anand Sharma, the party's Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain and Lok Sabha MP Raja Brar after the government asked for the names of four MPs for the delegations.
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