In the backdrop of violence and student conflict in Delhi University, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday lashed out at the right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for what he called its “shameful and despicable rape threat” against the Delhi University student who had taken up the cudgels against the student body over the recent violence in Ramjas College.

Reacting strongly to the allegation of Gurmehar Kaur, daughter of Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Singh, that she had been receiving threats of rape and violence following her heroic stand on the Ramjas College incident, Capt Amarinder said the ABVP and its mentors should be ashamed of their abominable behaviour.

“The girl’s father  scarifised his life for the country during the Kargil war and she is now being victimised for her legitimate act,” he said, condemning the alleged ABVP threat as shocking display of total lack of nationalism and patriotism on the part of the student wing of BJP.

Expressing shock at the brazenness of the ABVP, which had indulged in unprovoked and rampant violence against students and teachers of Ramjas College, the Congress chief ministerial candidate said the reported threat now being issued against Gurmehar by the student organisation reflects total disregard for the law of the country. 

The failure of the Delhi Police to take action against the ABVP goondas who had unleashed the unprovoked violence at Ramjas College on February 22 has clearly encouraged them to issue such heinous threats, said Captain Amarinder, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and a ban on the organisation to prevent further travesty of the law.

Not only does the organisation have no respect for women, as is evident from their alleged threat against Gurmehar, but their shocking defiance of the law shows that it is no longer a genuine student body working for the welfare of students, said Capt Amarinder. Pointing out that this was not the first time the ABVP was reported to be involved in a controversial and violent incident, he recalled that the student body was also found guilty by a JNU proctorial committee of attacking Najeeb Ahmad before his disappearance. He warned that failure to crack down on the organisation would encourage more such anti-social elements to take the law in their hands, which could lead to total breakdown of the law and order situation in the country.

lauding Gurmehar’s courage in launching a social media campaign against the ABVP, he said instead of allowing her to be victimised for her stand, the authorities, including the Delhi and Central Governments, should ensure that the perpetrators of the Ramjas College violence and the subsequent threats of the martyr’s daughter are given exemplary punishment for vitiating the DU campus atmosphere.

In the wake of the Ramjas College incident, Gurmehar had changed her Facebook profile picture holding a placard which read “I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone. Every student of India is with me. #StudentsAgainstABVP”. The reported ABVP threat came even as her profile picture went viral and evoked humungous response on the social media.