Shashi Tharoor´s Comments & Public Platform

Indian politicians have no sense of humor at all. All they know is dirty politics all the time. Shashi had commented about Cattle class in Indian Railways instead of Economy class. All idiots are making big hue and cry & asking him to resign. These morons should know that Shashi has told the reality in a lighter tone. But Indian politicians neither want to admit reality ( otherwise they will have to improve the system ) nor do they have any brains to enjoy intelligent comments. Shashi Tharoor is an intellectual of the highest order and a book writer of the international fame & is now stuck with crafty people of lowest IQ on the planet namely cheat & hypocrite Indian politicians.

Dr. Rajesh K. Bhatia

In Tamil Nadu there is a proverb: "Yaanai Kozhuththaal Thanae Mannai Thootri Kollum" meaning that haughty elephant showers mud on itself. Tharoor was a pround indian when he exhibited his Indianness in the United Nations, but at home he spoilt himself by making such unwanted comments. Apparently or truly it may be a joke, but it will have its cost on himself. A good lesson for others to be restraint while making comments.
By T K Chandrasekaran, Vellore
9/19/2009 8:28:00 PM

I do not hesitate to consider myself , a Indian commoner belonging to the 'cattle class'. Yes I am so, vis-a-vis the hoards of Holy Cows around me. chakraborty@gmail.com
By ARUN CHAKRABORTY
9/19/2009 7:36:00 PM

I think Mr Tharoor done a wonderful job. Have you ever observed? that hypocrite politicians(not PM) are making big issue out of it Not the cattle class citizen. In the name of austerity drive which is a big fuss, politician wants to further mileage from this issue. Mr Tharoor should be given the ministry of entertainment. Good Show Tharoor, we cattle class put our solidarity with member of HC(Holy Cows)
By Swarup
9/19/2009 7:22:00 PM

Mr.Tharoor was telling about the class which is supposed to be economy class. He has not mentioned any thing wrong about the passengers who used to travel in that class. I also tavelled in Malaysia Air lines,Singapore Arlines, Air India, Lufthahansa. In all these air lines the economy class was not up to the standard. Seats are narrow and un comfortable Even we cannot keep legs freely and sleep comfortably. Even seats are not in good condition. But we have to travel to reach our destination so we dont comlain. Our politiciians are not accustom to lower classes. they fly only in business classes and in Royal suits because they dont pay the fare from their own pockets.
By C.Swaminathan
9/19/2009 7:20:00 PM

If Mr tharoor can refer economy class of airlines as cattle class then but he will say about persons traveling in second class railways and in buses.He even tried to insult our holy cow whom we called MOTHER.
By Deepak Marya
9/19/2009 7:08:00 PM

PERSON OF SUCH A GREAT INTELLECT SHOULD NOT GV SUCH TYPE OF STATEMENT BT HE DESERVE TO BE FORGIVEN FOR A HIS FIRST MISTAKE, WITH THIS KIND GESTURE OF OURS- PROBABLY HIS VIEWS ABT INDIANS CHANGE. MOREOVER NOONE CAN DOUBT ON HIS INTELLECTUAL CAPABILITIES , THT CN BE FRUITFULL TO INDIA IN THE COMING ERA WHEN INDIA IS ON THE WAY TO BECOME SUPER-POWER
By lln
9/19/2009 6:55:00 PM

I support our Minister Shashi Taroor. Taroors standard in English language is little higher than our politicians. It will take time for our politicians to under stand the meaning of certain usages in Taroor's books. Before criticising some one,I request our politicians to find the meaning of these usages. Its all available in www.google.com or any other search engines. Most surprising thing is that even media gave a big coverage for this issue. Shame on the media and holy cow politicians. If this is the case what u will understand when u politicians go for some international meetings or bilateral talks? Do you people expect Obama to speek in desi butler english? Many of our Ministers ioncluding P Chidambaram and PM are educated in US/UK. Cant you put an end to this issue or you want toplay safe dirty politics? Shame on you... Lage raho Taroor ji...
By Kristen Raj
9/19/2009 6:54:00 PM

LATEST NEWS - BUZZING IN DELHI CIRCLES - the whole hullabullo around Tharoors remarks is not for what he calls us the people as cattle class (which we are told so in public forums by congress), but for what he calls the congress high command (madam and yuvraj) as "HOLY COWS". this is seen as a mark of ridiculing thier austerity drama. ALL readers lets appreciate Tharoor for calling a spade a spade
By james
9/19/2009 6:44:00 PM

This is why western people are calling us "IDOTS". What is there is Taroor's comment. To understand the meaning of Taroor's statement you need to be educated and "English literate".(Not the butler english which our politicians speek). The current issue shows hoe good our politicians are in English. Ipeel pitty for all "Indians" who raised voice against Taroor. Either Taroor should come down to the standred of our desi politicians or our politicians should go up to the standard of Taroor; which i dont expect in the near future.
By Abhilash Raj
9/19/2009 6:42:00 PM

I completely support Tharoor and decry "reality austure show" by congress. Because when the Political class day by day gets wilder as like long horned wild bisons, it travelling in the Economy (cattle) class would much be a nightmare for the cattle (common man)only. Probably the cattle might even be ready to shed extra tax to facilite separate journeys of the wild bisons for that will ensure their convienience. I would wish to inform the congress that if thier establishment is "austere under the table" much better for the nation that too during recession.
By neelabh mishra
9/19/2009 6:37:00 PM

Congress is for the likes of Manish Tiwari and others who only prosper by serving the 'holy cow' and the 'holy calf'- there will be no place for people like Tharoor in Indian politics..........
By ruku
9/19/2009 6:28:00 PM

Tharoor is wrong. The Cattle class is treated much than the people who travel by Economy class airlines, Second class trains or by buses in delhi.
By OneIndian
9/19/2009 6:27:00 PM

The debate that is going on about Shashi Taroor's Twitter comments is nothing but 'much ado about nothing'. Mr Tharoor is not a conventional politician and therefore lacks the hypocracy and double standards of the profession. He is basically a writer, who can view the world around him with subtle and hilarious humour. Those who doubt about his knowledge and understanding of Indian history and culture should better read his books such as 'The Great Indian Novel' and 'India, from Midnight to the Millenium', which can vouch not only for his deep understanding of the history and cultural richness of the country but also the underlying humour with which he views the foibles and failures of Indians. What he said about 'cattle class' and 'holy cows' should only be taken in that sense. Now the Prime Minister himself has put the whole controversy in its correct perspective when he said that we should take it as a joke of a humourous writer.. And the debate should end at that. K V Ravindran
By K V Ravindran
9/19/2009 5:16:00 PM

Our Honourable Minister Mr. Shashi Tharoor has shown the correct pricture that how economy class people is dealt by airline peoples. He spoken the truth and truth is always sour. History is evident who spoke truth has been sacrificed. No one has the right to Ask Our Honourable Minister Mr. Shashi Tharoor to resign. Before this almost all Ministers has enjoyed the Business Class Travel. At that time no one has raised the austerity issue. Now the ministers those who are not in limelight are taking the advantage of this issue. Requesting please spare Our Honourable Minister Mr. Shashi Tharoor
By rajeev
9/19/2009 4:56:00 PM

If the Congress party gave any cheer to our Prime Minister for his comments on " pervasive corruption", then I have certainly not seen or read it. The PMO and The President Of India appear to be too timid to take appropriate action on all the evidence I have given them. Welcome to: Yet another “conspiracy in corruption” Psychotic PMO Bareknuckles “The Economist” “When The Going Gets Tough, The PMO’s Media Advisers Go Nuts” “James Astill’s Dazed Denial” Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Pernicious Rebellion Against The Law .05/29/09 RTI Act 2005 Abuse In Andhra Pradesh- SIC Cheats! Chief Secretary Lies!05/07/09 Prejudiced CIC Laps Up PMO Lies 05/05/09 Divakar S Natarajan and Varun Gandhi Cannot Both Be Wrong ! 01/28/09 And India’s editorial class will not report the story! sathyagraha.blogspot.com Divakar’s Sathyagraha News and views from Divakar S Natarajan’s, “no excuses”, ultra peaceful, non partisan, individual sathyagraha against corruption and for the
By divakarssathya
9/19/2009 4:37:00 PM

Having lived and traveled in foreign countries, Tharoor is used to creature comforts and has cultivated unknowingly a systemic superiority to his own people. He forgot he wears the Indian genes. He is already tasting the privileges of a cabinet post. He may talk Gandhi but does not live Gandhi. Here is what Gandhi says; Tharoor, take notes. If you feel superior to people you are supposed to serve, you should quit and go back to London or New York Gandhi's seven social sins: Politics without principles Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Knowledge without character Commerce without morality Science without humanity Worship without sacrifice
By sundaram
9/19/2009 4:36:00 PM

It is sad that Congress party is after Tharoor for such a trivial thing; I believe congress party spokes men / spokes women are making the austerity a joke by being unruly and trying to blow this out of proportion. And Mr. Gehlot also had his share of tongue slips in media; when he commented about pub culture, he should explain why he did not resign before demanding resignation from Tharoor.
By Raj...
9/19/2009 4:34:00 PM

Puki mak Maruthi. How do you dismiss a person and then ask him to resign ? Have some cow sense mandan.
By vivek
9/19/2009 4:24:00 PM

Why don't our politicians devote more time to matters of the state instead of finding faults in innocent little remarks? Remember, this is the same Shashi Tharoor (or is there a duplicate?) whom India, under the same NDA regime led by the same Congress party, so proudly nominated as the next Secretary General of the United Nations! Are we to believe that a small innocent remark, said jokingly, can reduce the stature of such an eminent son of India so drastically as to go after his head? It is only the stature of our 'respected' politicians like Mr Ashok Gehlot that takes a beating. What are his credentials? Is he in a position to spar with Shashi T in English language on any topic of interest? Why don't they debate on the "cattle class" issue itself/
By Vijay Bagaria
9/19/2009 4:17:00 PM

To be a politician, is to be a philosopher; to have an intellectual approach to sort things. Cow is social symbol for satwic principles. Classification or categorization of humans this age is unacceptable. Derogating a cow only unveils the derogation of intellectual capacity of this guy. It seemed he was atleast fit as an executive taking orders; while at UN. But, the truth is different; even then he definitely isnt competent to be our minister. He should be dismissed than asked to resign. He is a failed candidate at UN, deserved no berth here. There is more than enough better talent in this country to manage our external affai
By Maruthi
9/19/2009 4:15:00 PM

What experience is everybody talking...during his tenure India has successfully retained the title of a powerless bargainer for a Security Council Permanent seat...
By Anil Kumawat
9/19/2009 4:09:00 PM

This was expected. In India, the politicians do not have any other job then to make hypes over bullshit issues. Not even an idiot would think of scraping a brilliant person like Tharoor out of politics, but Ashok Gehlot has done it! I can only say that the society is full of hypocrites who don't want to face the facts or do any thing good but to complaint over such things.
By Gagan
9/19/2009 4:04:00 PM

Kudos to Shashi Tharoor for classifying himself in cattle class, does he mean a cow or a bull? He is a wild bull in the crockery shop of congress party. Now what class I would be in (according to Shashi Tharoor) when I travel in second class of Indian Railways? The answer from S. T. would be insect or worms class. He has stayed for 90 to 100 days in a five star hotel. The cost per day is anywhere between Rs. 5000 to Rs. 100000 per day which will come to Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs.90 lakhs. What is the source of this money? Dear Shashi Tharoor you could have donated this money to run a primary school or a hospital or providing drinking water in your own 'GODS OWN COUNTRY' also known as Kerala.
By Shashwal
9/19/2009 3:59:00 PM

PLEASE!!!!!!!! Our country needs so many of Shasi Tharoor, Jairam Ramesh, Chidambaram, & Man Mohans if you want this country go to the next level. If you waste them over matters like these, we are making a historical blunder which 110 crore will regret in the near future..
By Optimist
9/19/2009 3:57:00 PM

Tharoor, Become my writiing partner. WE WILL WRITE A NASTY, DISGUSTING BOOK , an Expose, ON HOLY COWS AND THE HYPOCRISY OF HINDUS WHO ENJOY T-BONE STEAK IN THE US, STARTING WITH AMITABH BACHAN AND HIS GANG.
By Rasputin
9/19/2009 3:44:00 PM

Shashi Tharoor is a politician of this age, the new generation. If you are going to punish a politician of such a high profile and experience in foreign affairs, over a silly remark, My dear CONGRESS Oldies you are taking our nation into deepest Abyss drive. Please awake and use your valuable time for improvement and not waste your energy over post moterm of a nothing issue.
By Mohan Ram
9/19/2009 3:43:00 PM

Great . Now even kula baruas will sniff at paratha sarathy as lowly paid cattle drivers. It shows cerebral diarrhoea is as prevalent as cow droppings among the green monsters.
By vivek
9/19/2009 3:43:00 PM

Shashi Tharoor is one of india's most intelligent politician with vast knowledge of foreign affiars. I dont mind his comments even if he said so. We need educated people like him to run this country not people like ashok gehlot who ruled rajasthan more than decade and havent done a shit for the state. He even posted a apology over his profile and told that he is being misunderstood by people regarding the comment. It would be a very fatefull and very bad decision if congress party lowered his ranks due to such a small comment. Manmohan singh down played the whole controversy by calling it joke. He really defended his comrade.
By Manmeet Singh
9/19/2009 3:27:00 PM

Let Tharoor go, let him go out of MEA, as such that ministry has no guts and it's just about delivering stupid statements, with nothing really done. After all it's headed by a super corrupt man in white clothes. I'm sure Sashi Tharoor is not going to sit idle or sit down and chew his nails, nor is he going to have nightmares. He's going to get down to Trivandrum and set some things right! That place needs an overhaul.. Sashi T , if you are not asked to leave, could you just leave and get down to business in Trivandrum. we are all 'eyes'
By Peter
9/19/2009 3:21:00 PM

Indian politicians implicitly behave with their valued voter after like holy cows before any election and a cattle class after election enjoying the power and pelf of office. You can never name an exception. All our men who served the UN-Organisations, Arun Shourie, Manmohan Singh, Monteksingh Ahluwalia ane Shashi Tharoor are men who have been recognised for their contribution to the world through the world body. If we do not understand and treat them like cattle class while our vily politicians who would vye to go for a foreign jaunt at the throw of the hat once they assume power from the holy cows(our brethern) it is sad. Every one is jealous of Shasi while he should have known the pulse of the political and third-rated journo class who we can equate the political debauches (not all but most) he should have restrained. And when he has apologized publicly that should have stopped. Austerity Drive! emmh do we need two separate bunglow for a windowed mother and son to stay while they ar
By Mallikarjun
9/19/2009 3:18:00 PM

"Cattle Class" is not the real issue here...Instead, it is Tharoor's rapid rise in ranks to prominence from near political obscurity that has irked others.
By Anil Saraswathy
9/19/2009 3:16:00 PM

The real holy cows in politics are jayanti natrajan the. tamilian so called brahmin, minish tiwari the bhayya, ashok gehlot the bloody marwari backward and of course all from bjp,ss,mns ,rss, vhp and bd, all these required to be slaughtered. These bakward politicians are now after the blood of our reputed ex diplomat- UN , writer and a prolofic tweeter.
By INDIAN
9/19/2009 1:09:00 PM

Vienna,19-09-2009 Every Indian should know that a ministers job is not reading 365 "amara chitra katha" stories a year and tweeting on website.It is one thing to be highly paid under peon at the United Nations and yet another to be the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs of a billion plus population democracy like India.It is a 24 hours 365 days job. I wish New Indian Express readers understand the basics first. Kulamarva Balakrishna
By Kulamarva Balakrishna
9/19/2009 1:01:00 PM

In India cows are no more holy (at least for the so called holy cows), but there are a pack of holy cows who are to be revered else one will be relegated to cattle class how much famous and learned he may be.
By KSV SUBRAMANIAN
9/19/2009 11:56:00 AM

In Indian politics, one has to wear white attire, no matter how much dirty he is within.
By Pramod
9/19/2009 10:40:00 AM

Wait until all the cows come home
By vivek
9/19/2009 10:27:00 AM

HOLY COW ! This is unbeleivable. Only reserved for the enigma called Bharat. It used to happen in the dark old ages of Europe when the King the doesn,t like your face you will be put on the stockade. So now the knives are revealed from the holy comrades. How dare you Shashi who came like a bolt from nowhere and hug the limelight when we had invested a lifetime with the party and prevent us to from putting our fingers into the cookie jar. So what if you are smart. We want only docile domesticated cattle to follow the herd. We don't want anyone outshining us. That is reserved for the cow belt zone. Some call it BIMARU. Furthermore you have already made your money . Or else how could you afford to pay for your maintenance and only have designer grass. While we have been ploughing our land for ages. Ask Lallu , he will give you an insight. To milk the nation is no ordinary task. After all you don't belong to the sacred cow inner circle for us to ignore. You will have to wait u
By vivek
9/19/2009 10:25:00 AM

Well, many "oldies" in Congress are worried about the attention Shashi Tharoor is getting. He is a very down to earth person and very well qualified to hold a very high position in Indian politics. So the "netas" want to eliminate any competition! That's all! Dirty politics! Shashi Tharoor should form his own party. And chuck out the BJP and Congress out of India.
By Burman
9/19/2009 10:13:00 AM

There is a joke in Malayalam that you should raise your hand after delivering a joke to people who are not expected to get it. I think Tharoor should have done the same in twitter for us Indians in general and politicians in particular.
By Shailage
9/19/2009 9:26:00 AM

Congress sources said "Tharoor would no more be in the elite class of the Cabinet - he would in due course become an aam admi - thus returning to the cattle class." Look woho is saying what now? Elitism, cattle class both divisions duly endorsed and repeated by the so called self righteous and purist Congress sources as official party ideology. Tiwari confirms "aam admi" indeed is "cattle class."
By john jacobs
9/19/2009 9:17:00 AM

A humour or joke even not digested by the educated backward moron indians, whether politicians or no politicians. No body is slaughtering your holy cows , and if it is there for some special purpose, not for eating.
By indian
9/19/2009 9:10:00 AM

The twit on 'cattle class' is okay as all of us 'economy class Indians' have no other way out honorably to fly otherwise. The slanted reference on 'holy cows' is a slur not only on Tharoor's peer leadership but also on persons' some of us respect for some of the time or maybe most. Anyway we all worship cows out of reverence to our mothers and for the mere 'cattle' fact that the composition of the gene pool of the cow is more important to some of us 'rural' folks than its value as slaughtered 'hanging meat'!
By Raghavendra Bhat
9/19/2009 8:50:00 AM

One more example of Honesty is not best policy.Crucifying one for speaking truth . Waiting to throw out. Was he wrong in his observation. Our railway or air lines definitely are far from clean . The baggage are bitten by rats. You can see cockroaches in the night. Waiting room toilets are worse than pigstye. Unfotunate. Even if he had expressed in lighter vein the fact remains.
By Achalam
9/19/2009 8:48:00 AM

Advani is not a womaniser, but such men are dangerous: Khushwant Singh in a candid interview

Shivangi Singh

Not one to mince his words, India’s most admired as well as hated writer Khushwant Singh appeared at his candid best during the launch of his latest book, ‘Why I Supported the Emergency’ – a bold, thought-provoking and immensely interesting collection of essays and profiles, compiled and edited by Sheela Reddy.

The 94-year-old writer’s intellect remains intact inspite of failing health and a number of ailments. The ‘dirty Sardar’, looked frail in form, but unbeaten and bold in spirit. As the author entered the venue ‘Windsor Palace’ at Le Meridien in the capital, he was surrounded by beautiful ladies of different age groups. They hugged, kissed and shook his hands, and made sure that he was comfortable – to the envy of all men present at the event.

The veteran writer, while thanking all present at the book launch said, “Every occasion I come to this venue, I say that this is the last time you would be extending your hospitality. I am saying it again but I promise not to come next time.”

Vinod Mehta, the Editor-in-chief of Outlook, who was in conversation with the author, said, “When talking about Khushwant Singh, I don’t know where to start and where to end.” He brought out the best in the author by posing some tongue-in-cheek questions, which had the audience applauding. Here are the excerpts:

Q: You are unkind to dead people. Is it because the dead can’t sue?
Khushwant Singh: I have a different approach to obits. When you write obits, you usually tend to write good things. But it should not be so. If the fellow is a rascal, say so. When I will go, a lot of people will say nasty things about me. I will not be there to read but I hope my family takes it in a stride.

Q: Who is the most obnoxious person you have ever met?
Khushwant Singh: Krishna Menon. He tops my list of obnoxious men. I served him for four years and I know what kind of a human being he was. Another one is Rajni Patel, a friend since college, but he was extremely corrupt. (Laughs)There are others also, but I can talk about Krishna Menon, because he is dead and he can’t sue. That’s pretty safe. There are others also but they are living.

Q: It is said that the Brits carry sex in their mind. What do you have to say about Indians ?
Khushwant Singh: Indians have sex more often in their brains and not where it should be. Sex is an elemental passion. It’s an integral part of our life. All human relationship is based on the desire to have sex. It’s human to have desire for sex and when it is not fulfilled, it comes out in perverted forms. That is why celibacy does not work. The desire to have multiple partners is also normal. Married people commit adultery in their mind - happy married life is a façade. I have a collection of sex jokes, which I hope will be published posthumously.

Q: It is strange what two people do to each other in bed. Do you agree with Naipaul when he says that it is difficult to write about explicit sex in literature?

Khushwant Singh:You are being dishonest if you are not writing about sex in your book. It is very natural and normal. Well, I have earned the name of ‘dirty old man’ but there is not much sex in my books. What I have written is very serious stuff – biography, history, religious texts etc.

Q: Tell us how do you lure so many beautiful women?
Khushwant Singh: I still don’t know but it is a fact that I have very attractive women dropping at my place. But as I grow old, I get bored. So, I don’t mince my words when I say good bye pretty soon.

Q: What do you think of editing standards of today?
Khushwant Singh: In my time the editor was the boss. Now, the editors are executive officers carrying out the orders of the owner of the publication. The news you get is in the first page, rest is all Bollywood and fashion. Crossword puzzle is the only interesting thing in newspapers these days.

Q: LK Advani doesn’t seem to like you much. Your take?
Khushwant Singh: I am disappointed in him. He was an able and clean man. I supported him initially. After 1984, Sikhs did not want to vote for Congress I put forward his name. He came to thank me. But when he was the Home Minister, and he came with his bodyguards in tow, during an event, I took the liberty to say, “You sowed the seed of communalism in the country and the country will pay for it.” Advani doesn’t womanise, such men are dangerous.

Q: You were called as Indira Gandhi’s ‘chamcha’? Your take?
Khushwant Singh: I supported her when I thought she was right in imposing the emergency. With some reservations, I supported the Emergency proclaimed by Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. Let me explain why. I concede that the right to protest is integral to democracy. You can have public meetings to criticise or condemn government actions. You can take out processions, call for strikes and closure of businesses. But there must not be any coercion or violence. If there is any, it is the duty of the government to suppress it by force, if necessary

But when she curbed the freedom of press during the emergency, I withdrew my support. Indira Gandhi had the habit of snubbing whoever opposed her. She was waiting for a chance to snub me. I never gave her the chance as I never met her after that.

Q: You are soft on Sanjay Gandhi. What do you think of him?
Khushwant Singh: He was a highly misunderstood man. He was a doer, he got things right. We need his compulsory population method. His idea of tree plantation was also good. I agree he made a mess of the Maruti project, but he had his own way of doing things, I supported him and I have no regrets.

Q: You also called him a ‘Goonda’…
Khushwant Singh: He was a dictator. I saw him fighting physically. India would have probably progressed much under him. But India would not have been a democracy.

Q: Who is the most admirable man, you have ever met?
Khushwant Singh: Manmohan Singh. He is simple, has no charisma, yet he is the best PM we’ve ever had. He is not corrupt, he has plans in mind and is taking the country ahead. He will be underrated with Advani calling him ‘weak’ but it’s not true. I support him not because he is a sardar, but he is truly admirable.

Q: What would you say about Maneka and Varun Gandhi?
Khushwant Singh: Maneka Gandhi brought up Varun alone. I somehow could not believe the abusive words against Sikhs and Muslims attributed to him. One of the men opposing him was a Sikh. Sikhs have this ability to accept jokes about them but the remark 'uska bara baja denge' (I will fix him) is not the kind of thing to say in public. After all, most of his mother's relatives are Sikhs, He is a badly brought up child. I hope Varun will be banned from contesting the polls and the people will throw him out. But I am afraid that he will win the seat.

Advani, Singhal, Togadia natural target of Maoists?

BHUBANESWAR: Branding Sangh Parivar as a 'fundamentalist' grouping, Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda has said senior BJP leader L K Advani and VHP's

Ashok Singal and Pravin Togadia are "natural targets" of the Left wing extremists as they are instigating communal passion.

Panda alias Sunil, who met a group of journalists at an undisclosed place in the state yesterday, said Maoists were in search of an opportunity to eliminate the three leaders "as they are instigating communal passion in the country".

A transcript of the press conference was made available to PTI today.

"We will kill the trio whenever a chance is available," Panda who was declared as 'most wanted by Orissa Police said.

"These leaders always come to meet the people under the protection of CRPF jawans. Therefore, we could not kill them till now," Panda, who is the secretary of the state organising committee of CPI (Maoist), said.

Admitting that the Maoists had for the first time intervened in any religious dispute by killing Laxamananda Saraswati, Panda said they wanted to create a casteless society devoid of exploitation where the people would not face discrimination of any kind.

Asked whether Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was also in the hit-list of Maoists, Panda said: "No.

"It is a fact that we are angry with Patnaik for running the government in Orissa at the instruction of BJP leaders. But he is not in our target."

The Maoist leader asked Patnaik to work for the people instead of appeasing BJP leaders.