Even five days after Ramjas College violent clash between the ABVP and AISA members, tensions continue to prevail on the Delhi Univeristy campus and on the social media. Top Ministers and senior BJP leaders accused the Opposition of inciting violence on campuses and the Congress hit back against an attempt to “curb freedom of speech.”
While the ABVP took out a tiranga rally in DU on Monday seeking action against those who raised ‘anti-national’ slogans, the stand taken by Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Singh’s daughter Gurmehar Kaur on the violence on the North Campus triggered a twitter war that attracted bouquets and brickbats with former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag and Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda also chipping in. Gurmehar’s claim that she received rape threats online has stocked fire.
It all started a few days ago when Gurmehar — a student of lady Shri Ram College — launched a campaign, posting a message on the Facebook, “I am not afraid of ABVP”. The post went viral with students from different campuses changing their profile pictures on Instagram and Facebook in her support; while many others criticised her vehemently.
Ramjas witnessed widespread violence last week after the ABVP objected to a seminar because of an invitation extended to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid, who were involved in a controversy related to alleged anti-national and pro-Kashmir Azaadi slogans last year.
Sehwag on Sunday night jumped into the ring and tweeted with a poster, “I did not score two triple centuries, my bat did” in reaction to Gurmehar’s earlier post in which she claimed, “Pakistan didn’t kill my dad, war killed him.”
Sehwag’s tweet opened floodgates of reactions on the social media and was also supported by actor Randeep.
With tension mounting, Home Minister Rajnath Singh who is in Varanasi, said his Ministry was keeping a watch on the situation. He also ordered the Delhi Police to act with caution over the Ramjas College issue and ensure the situation remained under control.
The BJP and the Congress have locked horns on the issue of “intolerance” and “freedom of speech.” Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu slammed the Opposition for inciting violence on campuses and accused it of subversion, while Rahul Gandhi showed support to Kaur praising her valour for raising her voice against intolerance.
“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,” Rahul’s office tweeted.
“You cannot hurt others’ religious feelings. You cannot question the nation’s unity and integrity. You cannot advocate separatism. Dissent, having a different opinion apart from the majority opinion is agreeable but not disintegration. Nobody can advocate disintegration. What is azaadiIJ What is azaadi of KashmirIJ” Naidu retorted.
“Congress subverted people’s rights and now they accuse us saying there’s no freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is guaranteed under the Constitution of India, but it can’t be used to create social tensions or hurt the sentiments of people,” said Naidu.
“You want to make universities laboratories for separatist experimentsIJ There is a systematic effort going on — you want to have anniversary for Afzal Guru, who was responsible (for) and spearheaded the attack on Parliament, the temple of democracy. And then you appeal to others that freedom of expression is affected,” he said.
Asked about ABVP’s involvement in the protests, Naidu said, “ABVP is a nationalist organisation. Other organisations have different views let them express it. Why should
outsiders go and disturb peace of campusesIJ You have such freedom in this country that you can call the PM by name. You compare him with a donkey.”
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted that freedom of expression is not a licence to shout anti-national slogans on campuses. “Criticise the Government but don’t abuse the motherland,” he wrote on Twitter.
Asking who is “polluting” her mind, Rijiju said, “India never attacked anyone, but a weak India was always invaded”.
Talking to newspersons, he said, “One should not say things which could demoralise the countrymen and the security forces. Everybody has freedom but that does not mean that you raise slogans to weaken the country.”
Mocking Kaur, Pratap Simha, BJP MP from Mysuru, tweeted, “At least Dawood did not use the crutches of his father’s name to justify his anti-national stand.”
To mock her, Simha also posted a photograph showing Dawood with the message, “I didn’t kill people in 1993. Bombs killed them.”
Joining the verbal duel, the Congress accused Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of insulting the country’s academia on foreign soil and demanded that he apologise for his “alliance of subversion” remark.
Jaitley who is in london had reacted to the debate saying there was an “alliance of subversion” on certain Indian campuses and that the ultra-left and separatists were speaking the same language.
“The Finance Minister while addressing students at london School of Economics on Saturday said there is an alliance of subversion across campuses of universities in India. He has insulted all the other elements which make up all the academic fraternity of India. He insulted the academia of India, students, teachers. The Finance Minister should apologise for the language he used against Indian academia and that too on foreign soil,” said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.
Meanwhile, Delhi police on Monday said they were examining the letter from the Delhi Commission for Women demanding security for the 24-year-old Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, who complained of receiving “rape threats” allegedly from ABVP members.
“She has neither given any complaint nor approached police. However, we have received a letter from the DCW. We are examining it on priority. Professional police action will be taken,” said Dependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police (South-West) and spokesperson of Delhi Police.