On Twitter, Amit Mishra's Counter After Irfan Pathan's "My Country" Post

Former India cricketers Irfan Pathan and Amit Mishra found themselves engaged in a verbal match of sorts on Twitter today, when the Mr Pathan commented on India's potential as a nation.

"My country, my beautiful country, has the potential to be the greatest country on earth.BUT," read Irfan Pathan's open-ended post.

Amit Mishra completed the line -- with a stern message.

"My country, my beautiful country, has the potential to be the greatest country on earth....only if some people realise that our constitution is the first book to be followed," his post read.

While neither explained the context of their tweets, the posts were interpreted by social media users in the backdrop of the violence in Delhi's Jahangirpuri and communal clashes elsewhere in the country.

Many slammed Mr Pathan's message, some dared him to complete the statement. Others entreated him not to throw away the goodwill earned in cricket through political statements.

With Mr Mishra's tweet, fans started a full-scale debate.

The violence in Jahangirpuri during Hanuman Jayanti on Saturday was followed by demolition in the area by the city's civic body.

There have been allegations that the demolition fitted a disturbing pattern seen in states like Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, where bulldozers were used following communal clashes targetting a particular community.

This has also been alleged in a petition filed in the Supreme Court.

The top court hit pause on the demolitions on Wednesday. The court also said it would take a "serious view" of the razing that took place for nearly two hours that day despite its order that the bulldozers stop.