New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has pulled out of a debate at the Cambridge Union due to the UK government's new travel guidelines for considering people who were fully vaccinated in countries including India as "unvaccinated".

Tharoor called out the UK government's double standards, saying it is offensive to ask fully vaccinated Indians to quarantine.

Shashi Tharoor said, "Because of this [new travel guideline], I have pulled out of a debate at the Cambridge Union and out of launch events for the UK edition of my book ‘The Battle Of Belonging’ ( published there as ‘The Struggle For India’s Soul’). It is offensive to ask fully vaccinated Indians to quarantine. The Brits are reviewing!"

"Double standards applied by UK are impossible to understand. I personally don't have time to go to a country and sit in quarantine for 10 days. So I've cancelled my trip", said Tharoor.

UK government confirmed that if a person has been vaccinated in Africa, or South America, or countries including UAE, India, Turkey, Jordan, Thailand, Russia… …you are considered “unvaccinated” and must follow “unvaccinated” rules = 10 day home quarantine and tests.

The rules will come into effect from October 4 as part of UK’s efforts to reopen international travel “as soon as is practicable”.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took up the matter with UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss over the new guidelines, seeking an “early resolution” for the best interests of both countries.

“Urged early resolution of quarantine issue in mutual interest,” the EAM tweeted after meeting Truss in New York on Monday.