Pictures from the funeral at Shivaji Park in Mumbai show Khan and his manager Pooja Dadlani paying their last respects to the singer. A photograph of Khan with his hands raised in 'dua' and of Dadlani with her hands joined in a 'pranaam' went viral on social media, with most people appreciating how the frame beautifully captured India's diversity.

From politicians to authors to student leaders, people from different spheres appreciated the warm gesture by the superstar.

A tweet by a Haryana BJP leader, however, stoked up a controversy.

Arun Yadav, whose Twitter handle says he is the state in-charge of Haryana BJP's IT cell, shared a short clip that shows Khan saying the dua, removing his mask and blowing air.

"Did he spit?" Yadav asked in a Twitter post, setting off a targeted social media attack against the actor, with many accusing Khan of disrespecting the legendary singer at her funeral.

The BJP leader faced a major backlash on social media as people started pointing out that the blowing of air after a dua is to "ward off evil spirits" and accused him of of triggering a controversy out of a beautiful moment.

Chandra Kumar Bose, a sidelined BJP leader and grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, tweeted that this is India's culture that "bigots cannot digest".

Following the backlash, Yadav tweeted that he had "just asked a question" and that "opponents did not appreciate his work in national interest".