On Friday, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait criticised Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for retweeting what it said was an “anti-national” tweet by a “Pakistani agent”.

Their statement came after ‘Tharoor’ retweeted a tweet in which a person claims that a group of “powerful Kuwaiti politicians” had encouraged their government to ban the entry of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Kuwait.

Domestic actions have international repercussions. I hear from friends across the Gulf of their dismay at rising Islamophobia in India &the PM’s unwillingness to condemn it, let alone act decisively against it. “We like India.But don’t make it so hard for us to be your friends”. https://t.co/Bj9es8fbfS

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 18, 2022

The tweet had alleged that the move by the Kuwait government was in response to the ongoing row over the hijab ban in Karnataka. “We can’t sit back and watch Muslim girls being publicly tormented, they [Kuwaiti politicians] said,” the tweet claimed.

Group of people in Karnataka have been in worry for a long time after the Muslim students were not allowed to attend classes wearing hijabs. On February 5, the Karnataka government had passed an order to ban clothes that “disturb equality, integrity and public order”.

On Friday, while retweeting, Tharoor had stated that domestic actions have international repercussions.

As per Tharoor, he claimed that “I hear from friends across the Gulf of their disappointment at rising Islamophobia in India and the PM’s “Narendra Modi” unwillingness to criticise it, let alone act decisively against it.

In response, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait had shown their displeasure over Tharoor’s tweet.

Sad to see an Hon’ble Member of Indian Parliament retweeting an anti-India tweet by a Pakistani agent who was recipient of a Pakistani Award ‘Ambassador of Peace’ for his anti-India activities. We should not encourage such anti-India elements. https://t.co/e43MAmc50j pic.twitter.com/v3hoL582tL

— India in Kuwait (@indembkwt) February 18, 2022

As per the “Tweet from the embassy’s official” they stated, “Sad to see an Honourable Member of Indian Parliament retweeting an anti-tweet by a Pakistani agent who was a recipient of a Pakistani Award’ Ambassador of Peace’ for his anti-India activities,” a tweet by the embassy’s official handle said. “We should not encourage such anti-India elements.”

For clarifying his statement, Tharoor stated that he was not supporting or not giving his back to any individual but was concerned about the sentiments conveyed in a tweet.

“While accepting the Indian Embassy in Kuwait’s view, I urge Government of India not to give ammo to such anti-India element by conducting misconduct here,” the Congress leader wrote.