?Nothing wrong in Pakistan ad mocking Abhinandan Varthaman. It is really funny, to be taken with sportsman spirit?, says Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today said that there is nothing wrong in the Pakistan ad that mocked Abhinandan Varthaman. He said that the ad was really funny and to be taken with sportsman spirit!

Speaking to a local Malayalam channel, Tharoor said, “Such fun and excitement are the part of any sporting event.” He also made an appeal to the people to keep cricket away from politics.

A World Cup advertisement released by Pakistani channel Jazz TV, featuring a mimicry of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s video shot by Pakistani armed forces, drew sharp reactions from patriotic Indians.

The actor who parodied Wing Commander Abhinandan is heard repeating the pilot’s lines from the video that was released by Pakistan defence forces after Abhinandan’s capture. On being asked questions about the Indian cricket team’s strategies, with a teacup in his hand, the actor was seen saying: “I’m sorry, I am not supposed to tell you this”.

The Pak ad invited the wrath of Indians mainly for misrepresenting the Indian braveheart who showed a stoic calm throughout his captivity. However, the actor in the ad was portrayed as coward and looked frightened. Moreover, the ad also has racist overtones as the actor’s face was blackened.

The ad ends with the interrogator pulling back the actor, with a question “Ek second ruko! Cup kahan leke ja raho ho? (wait for a second! Where are you taking the cup?), when he stood up to leave after the questioning.

Tharoor outrageous remarks have invoked angry reactions on social media in Kerala.

Meanwhile, the cyber warriors of Congress are seen justifying their MP’s comments.