A fierce row erupted in Haryana Assembly on Thursday over Cabinet Minister Anil Vij’s controversial remarks on Gurmehar Kaur, the Delhi University student who led a campaign against in-campus violence and blamed students’ group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for it.
The issue triggered off heated exchanges between the BJP and INlD legislatures throwing the State Assembly into pandemonium on Thursday.
As soon as the question hour ended during the fourth day of budget session of Haryana Assembly, INlD legislator Jasvinder Singh Sandhu raised the issue and alleged that it is because of Anil Vij’s statement that Gurmehar Kaur is receiving rape and death threats.
Condemning Vij, the INlD MlA said, “It is highly shameful that such statement has been given by a BJP Minister on a Kargil martyr’s daughter. On one side the State Government is talking about Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and on the other side, it is treating the daughters like this.”
Angrily retorting, Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij said, “You should first understand what I said. Those opposing it and siding with Gurmehar are anti-national forces.”
Vij, who was in no mood to back down from his statement, went onto say that the opposition leaders siding with her are “traitors”.
Soon after, INlD legislators were on their feet and began shouting “shame shame”.
In retaliation, the treasury benches shouted slogans like 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and ‘Vande Mataram’.
While the INlD legislators alleged that it is a shameful statement by a Minister, the BJP MlAs accused the opposition of doing politics on the issue.
The heated debate between BJP and INlD legislators continued for several minutes following which Speaker Kanwar Pal Gujjar intervened and pacified the situation.
leader of opposition and INlD’s senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala, while talking to the mediapersons in Haryana Vidhan Sabha, later, said, “Anil Vij should apologise to the House for making objectionable remarks against the daughter of a martyr. His statement is not only disrespectful to Gurmehar but also to the martyrs.”
“By giving such statement against Gurmehar, the Minister Vij seems to be taking the side of those who gave rape and death threats to the student. Young children (Gurmehar) do such mistakes sometimes. But, instead of issuing a controversial statement of sending her supporters to Pakistan, the Health Minister should first get his own health checked, added Chautala.
A day before, Anil Vij had said that those who are supporting Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur for her campaign against the ABVP, are pro-Pakistan and should be thrown out of the country.
The five-time MlA had also said that the 20-year-old lady Shri Ram College student is doing politics over the "martyrdom of her father" which is wrong.
He had also tweeted, "People supporting #GurmeharKaur blaming war for her #Kargilmartyr father are Pro #Pakistan should be thrown out of #India."
While talking to the mediapersons at Haryana Vidhan Sabha on Thursday, Anil Vij stuck to his stand and said, “Gurmehar has not only killed the spirit of her father, who had laid down his life for the country but has also given clean chit to Pakistan, which has time and again directly or indirectly attacked the country.”
Expressing respect for martyrs and their family members, Vij said that it would not be tolerated if any member of such families becomes a puppet of those who harbour traitorous intentions and do politics on such issues.
However, Vij said that he did not hold any personal grudge towards Gurmehar.
He also added that no evidence had been found against members of the ABVP regarding issuance of threats to Gurmehar.
Notably, Gurmehar had launched a social media campaign against ABVP — the students' group linked to the BJP — in the aftermath of the February 22 violence at the Ramjas College over invitation to Umar Khalid, a JNU student charged with sedition.
Following this, Kaur was trolled on Twitter for her video post on India-Pak peace and was also criticised by senior BJP leaders.