NEW DELHI: Having been among the celebrities to have criticised
Delhi University student
Gurmehar Kaur for having said that it was war and not Pakistan that killed her soldier father, wrestling star Geeta Phogat reiterated on Thursday that Kaur had every right to express her opinion but that her own view was that the college student was wrong in absolving Pakistan of responsibility in the death of her father.
Present at a function of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Phogat said, “Gurmehar has a right to express her views. We respect the martyrdom of her father and stand with her, but I personally disagree with her claim that Pakistan was not responsible for her father's death. I am not saying she is wrong, but everyone can have a different opinion. I think if we are at a war with an enemy country, that country is responsible for our soldiers’ deaths.”
Kaur had triggered a war of words, with some celebrities and political leaders expressing annoyance that terrorism was being glibly glossed over.
The 20-year-old girl was also threatened with rape and violence for her stand. Phogat said she decried such threats. “If anything wrong happens to girls, we will stand firmly with them,” she asserted.
Describing the events in
Ramjas College as “unfortunate”, the wrestling star opined that the whole affair wasn’t of much importance, “but some celebrities and politicians tweeted about it and things blew out of proportion”.
The athlete added that she was not provoked directly by Kaur’s statement, but had joined the war of words when a journalist abused Haryana, her state of residence.
“She tweeted against an entire state. Isn’t it wrong to target and brand an entire state in a poor light?” Phogat said. “There are a mix of good and bad people everywhere, be it Punjab, Delhi or Haryana.”
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