Turn the other cheek till when?: Smriti Irani clear on nationalism, nothing hyper about it

Union minister Smriti Irani, while speaking to Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami during the Rashtra Sarvopari Sammelan, shared her definition of being a nationalist and conversely of being 'accused' of being a nationalist. Speaking on the beautification of Yakub Memon's grave in Mumbai, Irani stated that anger over a memorial for a terrorist does not make one a 'hyper-nationalist'; rather it appropriately makes them a nationalist.

Reacting to the beautification of Yakub Memon's grave in Mumbai, the Union minister said, "Patience can not always be a quality of a nationalist. A nationalist never agrees with someone who asks them to listen to everything without raising their concern. For years it has been said, when slapped, offer your other cheek. But how long will you keep offering your other cheek?"

"The question arises - till when you have to keep quiet, how many take you for granted, and till what extent they will push it? So if you get angry over the beautification of a terrorist's grave, then this does not make you a hyper-nationalist. In fact, this makes you a nationalist. Because if terrorism has no religion, then how can a terrorist have a grave?" she asked.

She added, "I personally believe that if Indian blood is flowing in a person's body then that person is an Indian. Therefore, every Indian who repects the Constitution and is ready to safeguard it under law is a nationalist."

"Do we ask a child to love his/her mother but not love her too much? Do we say that the child is hyper as a child towards mother? My country is my mother and I believe that if your mother gets insulted will you tolerate it? Every Indian needs to answer this question," Union Minister Smriti Irani said.

Smriti Irani replies to people crying on 'death of democracy'

Reacting to the often used 'death of democracy' allegation levelled at the NDA government, Union minister Smriti Irani said, "Democracy dies when you choose your politician not on the basis of merit, but on the basis of genetics. Democracy dies when one hosts terrorists who forced Kashmiri Pandits to flee and didn't spare IAF officers. Democracy dies when a Presidential candidate is insulted. Many times that democracy died under UPA."