Gurmehar Kaur, a young daughter of a Kargil martyr, had recently started a Facebook campaign ‘I’m not afraid of ABVP’ has received rape threats supporters of the BJP and the ABVP.
Kaur made the sensational disclosure of rape threats on NDTV show when she said, “I’ve been getting a lot of threats on social media. When you open the profile picture that I changed, there are people who keep threatening me and calling me anti-national.
“I think it’s very scary when people threaten you with violence or with rape. There’s a guy called Rahul and he’s given a very detailed explanation in a comment on how he would like to rape me. That’s very scary.”
I got rape threats for calling out #ABVP, says Kargil martyr’s daughter
Watch @WeThePeopleNDTV LIVE here: https://t.co/hMlRpgak2y pic.twitter.com/X6Wto1Kjsh
— NDTV (@ndtv) February 26, 2017
The rape threat against Gurmehar did not come in isolation. Among those wishing for a rape also included an active BJP worker Veeramachaneni Chaitanya, who posted the similar remarks on his Facebook page.
Chaitanya, reportedly a member of BJP’s Vijayawada Social Media team, whose Facebook profile proudly flaunts a photo with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a display image, wrote, “What this Sickular girl will say if someone rapes her? No abusive comments please.”
India’s right-wing Hindutva brigade also received support from former India cricketer, Virender Sehwag, in hounding the daughter of Capt Mandeep Singh, who died fighting for India in Kargil war.
In a dig at Gurmehar’s old Facebook video message saying ‘Pakistan did not kill my father, war did,’ Sehwwag posted his own photo with a placard that said, “I didn’t score two triple century, my bat did.”
Bat me hai Dum !#BharatJaisiJagahNahi pic.twitter.com/BNaO1LBHLH
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 26, 2017
Sehwag received instant social media condemnation for his ‘cheap’ shot at a vulnerable young girl just because she dared to stand against the violence of the RSS’s student wing ABVP.
फ़ौजी की बेटी में दम हैं. सारे देशभक्तों को छुट्टी के दिन काम पर लगा दिया है।
— Kanchan Srivastava (@Ms_Aflatoon) February 26, 2017
Ah so @virendersehwag is hounding a 20 yr old as a return gift for favours received? Terrified to talk about DDCA corruption! #Ramjas https://t.co/wyAoyCQslA
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) February 27, 2017
Who knew this man would be disgusting enough to troll a 20 yr old who making peace with her dad's death. https://t.co/OMvtVByqK6
— ??????????? ???? (@priyashmita) February 26, 2017
Dear @virendersehwag, me & many Ex-soldier's kid stand in solidarity with @mehartweets. What u thought was ur wit, was cheap & demeaning.
— Amit Tyagi (@hiambuj) February 27, 2017
Meanwhile, Gurmehar has been receiving plenty of support on social media both from ordinary users and former soldiers.
A young girl is being threatened with violence for standing up to hooligans but ISI agents working for a political party is nationalism! https://t.co/kwKFzyKMIS
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) February 26, 2017
God bless you girl! I am a teacher and a fauji wife; I would be proud to have a student/daughter like you! https://t.co/704FyHqnRq
— Satvinder (@sdsanddunes) February 26, 2017
The uniform fraternity stands behind the brave girl. The rascals threatening her better watchout. Try not to come face to face with fauji. https://t.co/7lrwIaYu4W
— Col Dinesh Kumar(R) (@kkhushal9) February 26, 2017
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal too condemned the rape threats issued to Gurmehar by BJP supporters. In a series of Twitter posts, Kejriwal said that he was disgusted by such people.
He said, “Just listen to this. THIS is BJP. They will destroy our country. Everyone must rise against their goondaism”
क्या अपनी बेटियों और बहनों को बलात्कार की धमकियाँ देना भाजपा की देशभक्ति है? घिन्न आती है ऐसे लोगों पे। https://t.co/MoFm8wSMqD
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 26, 2017
Just listen to this. THIS is BJP. They will destroy our country. Everyone must rise against their goondaism https://t.co/MoFm8wSMqD
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 26, 2017
Ramjas College had on Wednesday witnessed bloody scenes as the members of the Left-affiliated AISA found themselves at the receiving end by the RSS-backed ABVP workers, who with the support of Delhi Police thrashed even journalists covering the event.
The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on ‘Culture of Protests’ which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the ABVP.
The Delhi Police has acknowledged “unprofessional” conduct on the part of some of its personnel during the clash and suspended three policemen.