Rijiju was introduced to Tinkle, the young girl whose heartfelt response to being called Chinese had drawn widespread attention online.
When asked if he would speak to her, the Union minister readily agreed and joined her on a video call.
Where is your father?” Rijiju asked.
Rijiju then asked Tinkle to tell her mother that “Kiran uncle called” after they put down the call.
ARUNACHAL GIRL WENT VIRAL AFTER SAYING ‘HUMKO INDIAN BOLO’Tinkle had earlier posted a video after being asked if she was Chinese.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju spoke to a young girl from Arunachal Pradesh during an exclusive interview with India Today, days after her video objecting to being called Chinese went viral on social media.
Rijiju was introduced to Tinkle, the young girl whose heartfelt response to being called Chinese had drawn widespread attention online. When asked if he would speak to her, the Union minister readily agreed and joined her on a video call.
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During the brief interaction, Rijiju spoke to Tinkle in Hindi and asked about her parents. “Where is your mother? Show me your mother’s photo. Where is your father?” Rijiju asked. The child didn't seem to understand much, probably due to a network error, so couldn't respond.
Rijiju then asked Tinkle to tell her mother that “Kiran uncle called” after they put down the call.
He also asked the child who had teased her before reassuring her that people across the country were now supporting her. “Now the whole of India loves you,” Rijiju told her.
“You have become very famous. You know that?” he asked fondly.
ARUNACHAL GIRL WENT VIRAL AFTER SAYING ‘HUMKO INDIAN BOLO’
Tinkle had earlier posted a video after being asked if she was Chinese. In the clip, the little girl calmly explained why the question had made her angry and sad.
“Hum log Indian hain. Aap humko Chinese bolne se hum bohot gussa hotey hain, bohot dukhi hote hain. Humko Indian bolo. Hum India ka hai. Hum Itanagar mein rehte hai,” she said.
The video was widely shared on Instagram and X, with many users praising the child for speaking up against the stereotyping of people from the Northeast.
Her response also drew attention to a larger issue faced by people from the region, who have often spoken about being subjected to questions and stereotypes about their nationality based on their physical appearance.
For Tinkle, the message was simple: "She is Indian and wants to be recognised as one." But her few words resonated with many who have faced similar assumptions, turning a child's candid response into a wider conversation about identity and belonging.
The video call with Tinkle brought a lighter and more personal moment to Rijiju’s otherwise wide-ranging India Today interview. During the conversation, the Union minister discussed issues including Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Smash Patriarchy’ campaign, the Manusmriti, ‘Dimagi Naxals’, student protests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership style and the BJP’s engagement with the Opposition.
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