Tharoor saves the dignity of idly after British professor calls it boring

New Delhi, Oct 08: It is being said food unites people irrespective of places or castes. But who knew food that too mere idli could play the divider between India and allay the United Kingdom.

Popularly being referred to as "Idligate" is nothing but war after a British professor called idli the most boring thing in the world on Twitter.

Reacting to it, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's son Ishaan wrote, "I think I've encountered the most offensive take on Twitter."

Meanwhile, Tharoor wrote, "There are some who are truly challenged in this world. Civilisation is hard to acquire...the taste & refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket."

It all started when the Indian food delivery portal Zomato posed a simple question on Twitter. "What's that one dish you could never understand why people like soo much?" Zomato asked on the microblogging site.

Edward Anderson, a United Kingdom-based Professor of History and expert in India-Britain studies, tweeted what was later called a 'blasphemous' opinion.

"Idli are the most boring things in the world," Anderson wrote.

As soon as Anderson posted the tweet, netizens, specially the south Indians came front to save the dignity of idly.

The post instantly raised eyebrows with South Indians taking to the micro-blogging platform in hordes to call out Anderson's poor taste in food as well as Desi culture.

While one outraged user called Anderson a "clueless white boy", another informed him of his error by announcing that "whole of South India is united through idli".

The tweet got so much interest that Ishan Tharoor and eventually the Senior Tharoor joined in.

Tharoor wrote, "Civilisation is hard to acquire: the taste & refinement to appreciate idlis, enjoy cricket, or watch ottamthullal is not given to every mortal. Take pity on this poor man, for he may never know what Life can be".

The banter went on as Anderson was not the one to seemingly bow down, Anderson wrote, "Before the whole of south India attacks me, can I just say that I love dosa and appam and basically all south Indian food. But idli (and puttu for that matter) are insufferable." He also informed that his in-laws were from Kerala, perhaps hoping it would help him win against the "idli-defenders".

Check out here the banter and reactions: