Twits threaten twitterer.

Long before the prime minister was forced to point out to his humourless colleagues that Shashi Tharoor’s tweet on holy cows and cattle class was a mere joke, the minister of state for external affairs had become a hero on Twitter for his cheeky wit. The network is abuzz with caustic comments about desi politicians being ‘‘morose and jealous’’ and in need of a ‘‘humour resources manager’’.

Congress politicians should read the dictionary, Wikipedia and Wodehouse to open their minds, said many Tweeters. On Thursday, when Jacob Joseph, Tharoor’s officer on special duty posted a photograph with a caption that read, ‘Shashi Tharoor in cattle class a month ago’, more comments poured in. The photograph, which has already been viewed over 2,839 times, had remarks like, ‘‘Now this is something. Shashi Tharoor was travelling economy even before this stupid austerity drive’’ and ‘‘I like Shashi even if he were to fly first-class. Isn’t he a classy person? He adds more value than he spends, right?’’

Tweets in support of Tharoor poured in Friday when the PM made the ‘clarification’. ‘‘He just replied in jest to a comment, which led him on. Show the man some class, politicos,’’ read one tweet. Even celebrity tweeters like Gul Panag commented, ‘Everyone is being unduly harsh on Shashi Tharoor.’’

The controversy erupted when the diplomat-turned-minister, who has 1,76,342 followers (as of Friday evening), replied to a question at 11.57pm on September 14, ‘Tell us Minister, next time you travel to Kerala, will it be cattle class?’ Tharoor tweeted back within minutes, saying, ‘‘Absolutely, in cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows!’’

After Congressmen began to condemn Tharoor, some fans reacted by blaming the questioner. ‘‘Now this is a new one. I must bear the cross for Shashi Tharoor! No I won’t, no I shan’t... it’s amusing to see your fans pillory me,’’ he tweeted.