Tharoor's sharp reaction to Trump’s aide Lutnick’s remarks: 'No need to say sorry…'

Reacting to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s remarks, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “I don't think we have anything to say sorry about at all. India has behaved with a great deal of maturity on all of this. Also, don't forget that trade with Russia and oil was actually blessed by previous American administrations; they requested us to buy some Russian oil in order to stabilise global oil prices. Secondly, China buys more Russian oil and gas than we do. Turkey buys more Russian oil and gas than we do. Europe doesn't buy oil and gas, but they buy other Russian items, so they're putting more billions of dollars into Russia's kitty than we do. It seems bizarre that we are alone being singled out for allegedly financing the Russian war effort when others are doing far more than we are. So I think there has been a certain mistake made in American policy against India, which is not warranted or justified. I do not think India has anything to say sorry for. I think Mr Lutnick has to understand that we are a sovereign nation, just as they are. They can take their own sovereign decisions, we will take our own sovereign decisions.”