'Sad That It Took a Pakistani Leader to Remember Tipu Sultan': Tharoor's Praise for Imran Khan Sparks Row

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday showered praise on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his “genuine and far-reaching” interest in Indian history, adding in the same vein that it was “disappointing” that it took a Pakistani leader to remember Tipu Sultan.

Tharoor was responding to Khan’s tweet on May 4 where he hailed Tipu Sultan as “a man I admire because he preferred freedom and died fighting for it rather than live a life of enslavement”.

Soon after Khan’s tweet, BJP MP Chandrasekhar tagged Congress leader Siddaramaiah and wrote: "Dear @siddaramaiah avare - time for u (you) to hug Imranji n (and) Bajwaji - @sherryontopp! Thts (That's) quickest way to bcm (become) @RahulGandhi n (and) @priyankagandhi's favourite! #JustDoIt."

His jibe was aimed at Siddaramaiah's reverence for Tipu Sultan. The Congress leader had started the tradition of celebrating Tipu Jayanti as then chief minister of Karnataka three years ago.

Slamming Chandrasekhar, Siddaramaiah tweeted, "Mr @rajeev_mp, Think before you tweet. I am not like your Chor @narendramodi to eat biryani with the PM of our enemy country & also not like you to compromise on ethics to please your bosses. "It is better to lead a life of Tipu Sultan than like a slave of your bosses like you."

The Congress leader's attack was in reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Nawaz Sharif, the then prime minister of Pakistan, in Lahore in 2017.
 

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