An apparent poor maintenance of a monument at Balapur resulted in MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi locking horns with British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming on Twitter. The ensuing debate resulted in Mr. Owaisi questioning whether the diplomat could return to India the famed Kohinoor diamond and Tipu Sultan’s personal items.
Mr. Fleming, who has taken to social media to express interest in the State’s heritage structures, tweeted pictures of a maqbara on March 8. Touching upon its state, he said he, along with a companion, were ‘dismayed to find this historic site which doubles as a rubbish tip,’ as he tagged the Telangana Tourism handle.
The Hyderabad Parliamentarian shot back, saying: “@Andrew007Uk Pl remember you’re not Queen’s Governor General, but a diplomat. Request @SushmaSwaraj to take note, he cannot tell us how to manage our affairs anymore. Having lived in the UK, I know it’s not exactly a utopia. Maybe focus on preventing more Greenfells from happening?”
The diplomat responded by affirming his love for heritage. “Respected sir. I have a passion for heritage as I know you do & feel many amazing monuments fall short of their potential. I am support @swachhbharat in #HYD, overlapping interests. I see sharing observations part of modern diplomacy. How does this tweet meddle in your affairs?”
The Kohinoor question
The exchange did not end at that. Soon, in a reply, Mr. Owaisi asserted India is an independent country which can manage its ‘own affairs’. He said Mr. Fleming was ‘crossing all boundaries’ of a diplomat, and sought to know whether he could ‘give back Kohinoor, Tipu Sultan’s personal articles’.
