'Intolerance' debate: Whoever defends and represents India is a hero, says Union minister Kiren Rijiju

Pic courtesy: @KirenRijiju (File Photo)

New Delhi: Union minister Kiren Rijiju said on Thursday that whoever defended and represented India was a hero.

He tweeted: "Whoever defends and represents India is a hero. May be a soldier, sportsperson, scientist, teacher, farmer, doctor, engineer, labourer, trader."

Whoever defends & represents India is a hero. May be a soldier, sportsperson, scientist, teacher, farmer, doctor, engineer, labourer, trader pic.twitter.com/RYuXIO89mv — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) March 2, 2017

Earlier, on February 28, the minister had said that the soul of the martyred father of Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur must be crying as she was being misled by people who celebrate when soldiers die in action.

"She is the daughter of a martyr. But his soul must be crying as she is being misled by people who celebrate when our soldiers die," he had told reporters.

Rijiju had added that the 20-year-old girl had the "full liberty to speak her mind" and she would be given total protection as her security was government's responsibility.

Kaur has alleged of threats of rape and assault following her social media protest against the violence involving members of the RSS-backed ABVP at Delhi University's Ramjas College last week.

The Union Minister of State for Home had further said that his remark on who was "polluting" the mind of an Army martyr's daughter was aimed at "the Leftists".

"I stand by my comments. Anybody who tweets on social media platform should be careful. But anyone with a contrary view should be allowed to speak. Gurmehar is a young girl and she should be allowed to speak her mind," he had maintained.

"When I said somebody is polluting her (Gurmehar's) mind, I meant the Leftists," he had said.

Kaur had started a video campaign 'Not Afraid of ABVP'.

Kaur, daughter of Captain Mandeep Singh, who was killed by militants in Jammu and Kashmir in 1999, had made a video asking India and Pakistan to amicably settle their disputes.

She had held a placard, saying, "Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him."

(With PTI inputs)