Mumbai, Feb 21: After Gautam Gambhir and Yogeshwar Dutt, India's limited-overs cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday asked his countrymen to show respect to the armed forces.

Dhoi said that the nation is able to debate on freedom of speech and expression only because the military has put national interest before self.

"As v have this debate on freedom of speech our forces r making sure v stay in position to keep debating. Spl forces and commando units r normal ppl like u and me who r highly motivated and trained to put the interest of the nation before self," the 2011 World Cup-winning skipper tweeted.

Comments from Dhoni follow the ongoing controversy about alleged anti-national slogans being raised on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in New Delhi recently.

[JNU stir: Now, Gautam Gambhir asks politicians to 'grow up']

Earlier this week, a day after Olympian wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt expressed disappointment over ongoing protest in JNU over freedom of speech, senior India cricketer Gautam Gambhir slammed politicians and asking them to grow up.

"Shocking videos frm JNU & Jadhavpur Uni. Grow up politicians. Dnt politicise this, get united for Mother India. Don't compromise ur countries interest to get back into power," tweeted Gautam Gambhir.

OneIndia News