Shashi Tharoor praises Imran Khan, gets trolled for 'affection towards Pakistan'

Congress candidate from Kerala's capital city Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor praised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday for remembering the death anniversary of Tipu Sultan.

The senior Congress leader's praise comes after PM Imran Khan tweeted saying, "Today 4th May is the death anniversary of Tipu Sultan - a man I admire because he preferred freedom and died fighting for it rather than live a life of enslavement."

Shashi Tharoor retweeted the Pakistan PM's post saying that he personally knows Imran Khan's interest in the history of the Indian subcontinent. "He read; he cares. It is disappointing, though, that it took a Pakistani leader to remember a great Indian hero on his punyathithi," read his tweet.

However, the Congress leader's comment has all the potential to spark the once doused yet alight Tipu Sultan debate back into politics during the time of Lok Sabha elections, especially with the BJP in Karnataka.

Since the Congress government of Karnataka in 2015, led by Siddaramaiah, had introduced Tipu Sultan Jayanthi (birth anniversary), there have been several protests against this.

Several people took to social media to express their views of Tharoor praising the Pakistan PM.

Here are some reactions:-

Not a hero!

Affection for Pakistan?

Tippu, an admirer of Hinduism

Stop endorsing Tharoorji

Tipu Sultan will always remain a hot topic for debate