Tharoor in Parliament: My conscience is clear

New Delhi: In his address to Parliament today, Shashi Tharoor explained his decision to resign from the government after his link to the Kochi IPL team caused a national controversy. (Read & Watch: Shashi Tharoor resigns after Congress says enough)

"My conscience is clear...I have done nothing improper or unethical," said Tharoor.  "I have no desire to be an embarrassment to the government...and my departure will allow PM and cabinet to focus on the challenges facing the nation."

Tharoor added,   "I am new to Indian politics...but I have a long record of public service untainted by allegations of financial irregularity....I am deeply wounded by the malicious charges against me."

He said he has asked the Prime Minister to  have the charges against him thoroughly investigated.  "It is important that my name is cleared," Tharoor stated.

Tharoor's exit route was charted by the Indian Premier League Commissioner (IPL) Lalit Modi, who's now on the verge of losing his own job as a result of the feud. (Read: Lalit Modi likely to resign after IPL 3 final)

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Modi last week went public with the internal affairs of Tharoor, then Minister of State for External Affairs.  In a series of tweets, Modi claimed that Tharoor lobbied hard for the group that won the Kochi franchise of the IPL because his girlfriend, Sunanda Pushkar, was getting a sweetheart deal: 70 crores in sweat equity which was undilutable in perpetuity. (Read: Shashi Tharoor, the controversy kid)

Tharoor, in an interview to NDTV, said he had done nothing wrong, and that his only goal was to bring cricket to his home state, a feat, that he considered "a triumph for Kerala." While acknowledging that he is "very close" to Pushkar, a Brand Event and Marketing executive, he said it is incorrect to allege that she was a front for him.    If he wanted a proxy, Tharoor said, he would have picked someone with whom he was not associated so openly. (Read & watch: Won't resign over IPL controversy: Tharoor to NDTV | Full transcript of Tharoor's interview)

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Unconvinced, the Opposition went in for the kill, and said Tharoor was guilty of criminal misconduct as a public servant.  Tharoor's own party, the Congress, kept a safe distance from the controversy, ensuring that when Tharoor addressed Parliament on Friday, it was as an MP and not as a minister. 

Tharoor began reading out his statement but was drowned out.  It was tabled inside Parliament, and he read it outside to a group of reporters.

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On Sunday, hours before Tharoor resigned, Pushkar said she was giving up her stake in the Kochi franchise.  Her lawyer told NDTV that her decision was not linked to Tharoor, but that she no longer had the enthusiasm to help market the team she was connected to.