India, Sept. 25 -- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's remark on the Indian cricket team's decision to not shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during the Asia Cup clash have sparked a controversy. On Thursday, the Congress leader criticised the move, stressing that the spirit of the game must remain apart from politics and military disputes.

He recalled the 1999 Kargil War, pointing out that India and Pakistan still played a match then, even as soldiers were "dying for our country".

"On the very day the soldiers were dying for our country, we were playing the World Cup in England against Pakistan. We were shaking their hands even then because the spirit of the game is a different spirit from what goes on between countries, between Ar...