Sridevi was awarded the Padma Shri by the UPA Govt in 2013, the Congress said in its now-deleted tweet. (India Today File)

Sridevi is dead. And the Indian National Congress is in mourning.

Soon after the news of Sridevi's death came in, the Congress posted a condolence message on Twitter. However, many on the social media website were left with a bad taste in their mouths after reading Congress's tweet.

The reason was the tweet's last sentence: "She was awarded the Padma Shri by the UPA Govt in 2013."

Hours after posting the tweet, the Congress deleted the message without offering any comment, but not before the party came under heavy criticism for 'politicising' Sridevi's death.

Screenshot of the original Congress tweet on Sridevi's death.

"Also mention, she was born when Nehru was the prime-minister," one popular Twitter handle (@GabbarSingh) reacted to the original Congress tweet, calling the party out for explicitly noting that it was Manmohan Singh's United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that awarded Sridevi a Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2013.

Also mention, she was born when Nehru was the prime-minister. Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) February 25, 2018

@abdullah_0mar, a parody Twitter account, had a similar reaction. "The most amazing thing is: Sridevi was born when Nehru was the PM of India. Thanks to Congress," the account's cheeky tweet said.

@SirJadeja, another popular Twitter account that parodies cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, felt Congress's tweet on Sridevi's death was "politicising" the Bollywood icon's demise and called Congress a "Disgrace To Humanity".

"She Was Awarded The Padma Shri By The UPA Govt In 2013". Are You Serious? Is That Line Even Necessary To Pay Tribute To A Legendary Actress? Please Stop Politicising The Death. You Guys Are Disgrace To Humanity. Shame On You Congress. #Sridevi #RIPSridevihttps://t.co/gdPHFEIWE4 February 25, 2018

Seriously? Was the UPA bit for giving her a Padma Shri really necessary in a condolence message. What kind of idiots are you guys Masakadzas (@Nesenag) February 25, 2018

What?!?



Congress plays politics over legendary actress, Sridevis death. Wont own scams during its times but tries taking credit for the honour of an actress par excellence.



Dear Congress,



Sridevi didnt get Padma Shri, Padma Shri won Sridevi. pic.twitter.com/I54X2bXGbZ Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) February 25, 2018

Writer and blogger Sandip Ghose too felt the tweet was politicising Sridevi's death and noted that the Padma Shri is an "honour given by the country (hence, Rashtrapati Bhavan) to its citizen - not by any political party."

Dear @OfficeOfRG you make an award sound like a favour granted. More importantly, #PadmaAwards is an honour given by the country (hence, @rashtrapatibhvn) to its citizen - not by any political party. Shows Congress' sense of entitlement. By this tweet you have insulted #Sridevi GhoseSpot (@SandipGhose) February 25, 2018

With Congress getting criticized for its tweet on Sridevi left, right and centre, the party later seemed to have rethought its message. The original tweet, of which IndiaToday.in was able to take a screenshot, was deleted a few hours after it was posted.

Was that 'by the UPA Govt' really necessary INC, in a condolence message? :( pic.twitter.com/BkgrYEKYCh Karthik (@beastoftraal) February 25, 2018

next what? she was born under the congress govt? pic.twitter.com/wgXABfy4ch Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) February 25, 2018

The humility of @INCIndia . It did not take credit for Sridevi living, eating and breathing in Congress ruled times. pic.twitter.com/wBx6WfPHQJ VikasSaraswat (@VikasSaraswat) February 25, 2018

The Congress reposted its condolence message, this time without bringing up the fact that Sridevi was honoured with the Padma Shri award while the UPA II was in power.

"We regret to hear about the passing away of Sridevi. An actor par excellence. A legend who will continue to live in our hearts through her stellar body of work. Our deepest condolences to her loved ones," Congress said in its new tweet.

We regret to hear about the passing away of Sridevi. An actor par excellence. A legend who will continue to live in our hearts through her stellar body of work.

Our deepest condolences to her loved ones. pic.twitter.com/RPagwsnX9h Congress (@INCIndia) February 25, 2018

This was followed by another tweet that did mention Sridevi's Padma Shri award. However, this tweet simply said that that the icon received the "fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2013 by the Govt of India".

Attached to the tweet was a photograph of then President Pranab Mukherjee handing Sridevi her Padma Shri.

Sridevi receives her Padma Shri award in 2013 (Twitter/INC)

Sridevi died earlier today after suffering a massive cardiac arrest in Dubai, where she was attending her nephew Mohit Marwah's wedding.

She was known for her iconic roles in Hindi films such as Chandni, Nagina, Mr India, ChaalBaaz, and had acted in over 275 films. Sridevi was also a part of Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada cinema.

Sridevi was last seen on the silver screen in 2017 when she starred in Ravi Udyawar's Mom, a revenge drama. She was 54.

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