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Indian minister Shashi Tharoor denies Twitter affair | Indian minister Shashi Tharoor denies Twitter affair |
(about 1 hour later) | |
An Indian minister and his wife have said they are happily married after a series of tweets appeared to reveal that he was having an affair. | |
Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar said the "unseemly controversy" had arisen from "some unauthorised tweets" from their accounts. | Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar said the "unseemly controversy" had arisen from "some unauthorised tweets" from their accounts. |
However, Ms Pushkar earlier told two newspapers their accounts had not been hacked and she had sent the messages. | However, Ms Pushkar earlier told two newspapers their accounts had not been hacked and she had sent the messages. |
Mr Tharoor has more than two million followers on Twitter. | Mr Tharoor has more than two million followers on Twitter. |
He is India's human resource minister and married Ms Pushkar, a former Dubai-based businesswoman, in 2010. | He is India's human resource minister and married Ms Pushkar, a former Dubai-based businesswoman, in 2010. |
The row erupted after tweets appeared on Mr Tharoor's account on Wednesday showing messages between Mr Tharoor, 57, and Pakistani journalist, Mehr Tarar, which appeared to hint at a relationship between the two. | The row erupted after tweets appeared on Mr Tharoor's account on Wednesday showing messages between Mr Tharoor, 57, and Pakistani journalist, Mehr Tarar, which appeared to hint at a relationship between the two. |
Mr Tharoor tweeted late on Wednesday that his account had been "hacked", while Ms Tarar denied having an affair with the minister. | Mr Tharoor tweeted late on Wednesday that his account had been "hacked", while Ms Tarar denied having an affair with the minister. |
'Nothing to hide' | 'Nothing to hide' |
Ms Pushkar, however, told The Economic Times newspaper that the couple's Twitter accounts had "not been hacked" and that she "had been sending out these tweets". | Ms Pushkar, however, told The Economic Times newspaper that the couple's Twitter accounts had "not been hacked" and that she "had been sending out these tweets". |
She told the newspaper that she had been posting private messages sent to Mr Tharoor by the Lahore-based Ms Tarar. | She told the newspaper that she had been posting private messages sent to Mr Tharoor by the Lahore-based Ms Tarar. |
Ms Tarar tweeted that she had "always praised Shashi Tharoor OPENLY on twitter. Wrote an op-ed on him. Reviewed his book. Forwarded tweets. Only b/c [because] NOTHING to hide". | Ms Tarar tweeted that she had "always praised Shashi Tharoor OPENLY on twitter. Wrote an op-ed on him. Reviewed his book. Forwarded tweets. Only b/c [because] NOTHING to hide". |
The Indian Express newspaper quoted Ms Pushkar as saying that her husband was having an "extra-marital affair" with Ms Tarar and that she would "seek a divorce". | The Indian Express newspaper quoted Ms Pushkar as saying that her husband was having an "extra-marital affair" with Ms Tarar and that she would "seek a divorce". |
"That woman [Ms Tarar] woman pursued and pursued him [Mr Tharoor]... men are stupid anyway... for all you know she is a Pakistani agent. Where's love, where's loyalty in this world… I am so distraught," she was quoted as telling the newspaper. | "That woman [Ms Tarar] woman pursued and pursued him [Mr Tharoor]... men are stupid anyway... for all you know she is a Pakistani agent. Where's love, where's loyalty in this world… I am so distraught," she was quoted as telling the newspaper. |
Ms Pushkar further told the NDTV news channel on Thursday that Ms Tarar was pursuing her husband. | Ms Pushkar further told the NDTV news channel on Thursday that Ms Tarar was pursuing her husband. |
"I don't know if it's love, lust or obsession... as a man he [Mr Tharoor] may have been flattered but that doesn't mean he will leave his wife," she said. | "I don't know if it's love, lust or obsession... as a man he [Mr Tharoor] may have been flattered but that doesn't mean he will leave his wife," she said. |
As the controversy grew, the couple issued a statement saying that they were "happily married and intend to remain that way". | As the controversy grew, the couple issued a statement saying that they were "happily married and intend to remain that way". |
"Various distorted accounts of comments allegedly made by Sunanda have appeared in the press. It appears that some personal and private comments responding to these unauthorised tweets - comments that were not intended for publication - have been misrepresented and led to some erroneous conclusions," the statement said. | "Various distorted accounts of comments allegedly made by Sunanda have appeared in the press. It appears that some personal and private comments responding to these unauthorised tweets - comments that were not intended for publication - have been misrepresented and led to some erroneous conclusions," the statement said. |
The statement said Ms Pushkar "has been ill and hospitalised this week and is seeking to rest. We would be grateful if the media respects our privacy". | The statement said Ms Pushkar "has been ill and hospitalised this week and is seeking to rest. We would be grateful if the media respects our privacy". |
Mr Tharoor, a former UN diplomat, resigned from his first ministerial position in 2010 amid controversy over his role with the winning bid for a new Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team. | Mr Tharoor, a former UN diplomat, resigned from his first ministerial position in 2010 amid controversy over his role with the winning bid for a new Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team. |
Ms Pushkar, then a friend of Mr Tharoor, had allegedly received a free stake in the franchise, an allegation that both denied. | Ms Pushkar, then a friend of Mr Tharoor, had allegedly received a free stake in the franchise, an allegation that both denied. |
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