New Delhi: Adding fuel to the ongoing debate on nationalism, Minister of State Kiren Rijiju has tweeted an old video of a jawan attacking sympathisers of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

In the video, the soldier who was identified as Shriram Gorde lashed out at people who sympathised with the 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The video first surfaced online in January 2016.


“We fight against terrorism, Maoists to keep our country safe. But now it looks like the biggest threat is from those who live in this country but give slogans of Bharat Murdabad (Death to India),” Gorde is seen saying in the video.

“We don’t feel sad to see Afzal Guru being hanged. But we are sad to see people chant slogans that Afzal hum sharminda hai, tere qatil zinda hai (Afzal, we are ashamed. Your killer is still alive),” he added, in a reference to the event that sparked controversy last year at Jawarharlal Nehru University.

Along with the video, Rijiju had tweeted “Pain runs deeper than the Ocean. Very sad that our jawans are forced to speak with heavy heart. (sic)”

Rijiju’s tweet has come amidst the ongoing fiery debate on nationalism that ensued following the violence at Ramjas College between student groups. The video is seen as an attempt to influence emotions and gain public support against opposition parties in the nationalism debate.

The minister had earlier criticised Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur on Twitter, whose anti-ABVP campaign went viral online.