New Delhi [India]: Dismissing claims of being ‘anti-national’, Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur defended her demand for a violence-free university campus, adding that she was not being influenced by anybody.
“I am not anti-national. My mind is not polluted. I have a mind of my own. I am an adult and can think and take individual decisions,” Kaur told ANI in response to the statement by Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.
Responding to cricketer Virendar Sehwag’s tweet earlier today in an apparent troll on her online campaign, Kaur expressed her disappointment saying that the cricketer had done so, ‘at the cost of her father’s death.’
“It is very sad to see something like this being said by a man who we all cheer for during cricket matches. These are people who are looked up to,” Kaur added.
Earlier today, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi expressed his complete support towards Kaur, who has allegedly received rape threats over her social media campaign in support of students of the Delhi University following unrest in Ramjas College.
“Against the tyranny of fear we stand with our students. For every voice raised in anger, intolerance and ignorance there will be a Gurmehar Kaur,” tweeted Gandhi.
Gandhi’s comments come in the wake of the Centre accusing the Opposition, especially the Congress, of giving a political tinge to the developments over the Ramjas College clash.
Contrary to this, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Simha had earlier compared Kaur with fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted to suggest that Kaur was being influenced by someone or a group.
A clash had broken out between the All India Students Association ( AISA) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad ( ABVP) on February 21, 2017, after the members of the latter staged a protest outside Ramjas College against an event that had Jawaharlal Nehru University ( JNU) student Umar Khalid as a speaker.
The two-day seminar was organised by Wordcraft, the Literary Society of the College, on ‘Cultures of Protest’ a series of seminars exploring representations of dissent in literary productions.
According to the college authorities, the event was cancelled to maintain peace in the campus. (ANI)