New Delhi: The Salesian priest abducted by Islamic fundamentalists in Yemen has become a subject of Twitter war among politicians in India, his home country.

It all started by a tweet by Manish Tewari, a leader of the Opposition Congress party, asking why the government “did nothing” about the alleged crucifixion of Fr Tom Uzhunnalil.

Sushma Swaraj, India’s External Affairs Minister who has been active on twitter in reaching out to Indians abroad in need of help, tweeted in reply: “Friends – I have liked some tweets. Please see them and judge for yourself. Then reply to @ManishTewari.”

Tewari tweeted: “So ISIS allegedly crucified Father Thomas Uzhunnali & BJP Govt did nothing. Why because he was a Christian? Mr PM he was also a fellow Indian.”

Tewari, a former minister under the previous government was reacting to unconfirmed news reports that the Islamic State jihadists had crucified the Indian priest on March 25, Good Friday.

However, Salesian sources and the Catholic bishop responsible for Yemen said there was no confirmation yet about the “crucifixion.”

The external affairs ministry has said there is no confirmation of the news of the alleged crucifixion.

A delegation of the Indian Catholic bishops met the External Affairs Ministry officials on March 29 to plead the government to take urgent steps to trace the priest and dispel the rumors about his execution.

Meanwhile Tewari’s tweet attracted a lot of flak, The Times of India reported.

One twitterati asked: “What has the BJP got to do with this? And if your memory still works, remember how you people let Sarabjeet (Singh) die in Pakistan.”

Another reasoned: “That’s ok..He’s clutching at straws ….Very few straws left…Even he knows it’s a ridiculous thing to say.”

Another twitterati remarked sarcastically: “Please tell the entire nation what the Congress would have done to save the Father? So that India & also the world can follow your strategy.”

Fr Uzhunnallil was abducted from a home for the elderly managed by the Missionaries of Charity in Aden, Yemen, on March 4.

Suspected IS terrorists barged into the care home set up by Mother Teresa in Aden in 1992, and shot dead 16 people, including four nuns of the Missionaries of Charity. One of the nuns was from India.