Gurmehar Kaur, a 20 year old Delhi University student, hailing from Jalandhar, Punjab shows courage in taking on emerging intolerant elements in India.

God Almighty showered exemplary courage on the Lady Shriram College English Honours student 20-year-old Gurmehar Kaur, who in the wake of right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan perpetrated violence against students and staff of Ramjas College at the Delhi University, cried aloud on social media, “enough is enough.” While the country stood scared, media cried foul, opposition protested across the country, the ruling party prevaricated and a leading cricketer ridiculed the girl, and she boldly declared in a facebook post, “I am not afraid of ABVP.”

In the surcharged atmosphere in the country, where writers, journalists, activists and politicians are living under the shadow of BJP-fear, Gurmehar Kaur stood tall to call a spade a spade.

Dissent is dying in Indian universities and it was exemplified again with the Ramjas College buckling under pressure of the student-wing of the BJP and cancelled the debate which was to see among others JNU Ph. D. student Umar Khaled share views on the tribals of Bastar. Since he is accused of sedition, against whom a charge sheet has not been filed over the last one year, ABVP usurped powers to be the moral police and not allow him to speak. Not only did they do this verbally, but resorted to violence and molestation of lady students. I wondered whether the BJP students and their RSS masters have read French philosopher Voltaire, who declared, “I do not agree with what you say, but I shall lay down my life for you to have your say.”

Not able to counter Gurmehar Kaur’s courage, Kirren Rijiju Union Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, tweeted “who is polluting this girl’s mind”. He did not stop there and tweeted “Gurmehar’s father’s soul must be weeping, seeing her daughter misguided.” Without referring to her current post, they archived her previous post where she stood for peace while talking about her father Capt. Mandeep Singh killed in the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan. Then her placard read, “Pakistan did not kill my father, war killed him.” This remarkable comment shows the clarity of mind of the young student and how she stood for peace. With thousands trolling her on various social media platforms, she has been forced to withdraw under threats of assault and death.

Ultra-nationalists could only see hate in her message of peace. In an unfortunate tweet. Shamelessly and carelessly, Indian Cricketer Virender Sehwag poked fun at her and tweeted, “I didn’t score two triple centuries, my bat did”. Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda supported him and Haryana Minister Anil Vij, not to be left behind declared, “Those supporting Gurmehar Kaur, should be thrown out”. Resorting to the Goebbels approach, ABVP generated a fake video claiming that Gurmehar Kaur was dancing in a car.

It is comforting to note that cutting across party lines, caste lines and religious differences, many humanitarian as well as Sikh organizations have come in support of Gurmehar Kaur against the pseudo-nationalists.
We say that taking cue from Gurmehar Kaur, the ABVP should pray for Guru Mehr Kare so that wisdom can dawn on them. The young girl so ably lived the ideals of Guru Tegh Bahadur, beheaded in Delhi affirming the hymn, “Bhhai kaahoo kohn det naih, naih bhai manat aan -Fear none, frighten none. Guru Mehr Kare!

Jasvinder Singh
Delhi Desk, TWSN