On February 18, during a television debate over HRD minister Smriti Irani’s decision to mandatory install the Indian tricolour at university campuses, major general (retired) GD Bakshi was one of the panelists.
After some contrary views emerged calling the move as “forced nationalism”, Bakshi lost his cool.
He then shouted at one of the panelists, “I have seen those men die..I have seen very good men die…for a piece of tattered silk…Even for a regimental flag, people have died, and we have to discuss this (installation of Indian flags on campuses)!” Bakshi has said on the debate, minutes before bursting into tears.
The same night, he uploaded a post on his Facebook page, slamming what he called as “Leftist liberals” for the opposition to the move.
“The problem is the sophisticated debate that these bastions of Leftist liberals have created. Every Patriot is a lumpen. the smart set , the real cool intellectulas support Afzal Guru. For that is the fastest way to a Noble peace Prize or even a Magasay Award( Get rich quick guys- who cares for that land called India).Only soldiers like us are stupid enough to become EXTREME NATIONALIST (sic),” he wrote.
The post has been liked by 33,000 people and shared more than 20,000 times.