NEW DELHI – The arrest of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif atLahore airport Friday has triggered a war of words between the Congress andthe BJP, with both the parties taking to social networking sites to attackeach other.The Congress Saturday tweeted an old photograph of Prime Minister NarendraModi and Sharif holding hands and asked: “Nawaz Sharif has been arrested oncorruption charges. We’d like to know what his dear friend, PM Modi has tosay about this.”ADVERTISEMENT

The Congress had earlier criticised Modi for his unscheduled visit toPakistan in December, 2015. Modi had made a surprise stop over in Lahorewhile returning from Afghanistan that year and had attended the Sharif’sgranddaughter’s wedding ceremony and held talks with him.

In a sharp retort to the Congress, the BJP, said people in India wereasking when the leaders, who were out on bail, will go to jail. “PradhanMantri ji, every Indian (is) saying that those leaders who are roamingaround on bail (in) India too should also go to jail,” a tweet posted onthe BJP’s official handle said.

While addressing a rally in Jaipur last week, Modi had called the Congressa “bail-gaadi”, while referring to the leaders from the opposition party’swho were out on bail. The MEA has so far not commented on the arrest ofSharif.