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No laughing matter

Virender Sehwag crossed the line when he trolled 20-year-old Gurmehar Kaur for an old post of hers that was taken out of context.

Twenty-year-old Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur, who was thrust into the national spotlight after spearheading social media campaigns, #StudentsAgainstABVP and #FightBackDU, against politically charged student groups, announced that she would no longer be a part of the movements. She also revealed that she had received death and rape threats.
The reason for her pulling out, is being seen as a result of the insensitive joke that former Indian cricketer and Virender Sehwag made, about a video that Gurmehar created a year ago, in which the cricketer trivialising her father’s (an army Captain) death and the message of peace she had originally intended.
The issue has seen many support both, Gurmehar and Sehwag. Minister of State for Home Affairs Kirren Rijiju also questioned Gurmehar’s inspiration behind her video, later retweeting Olympic medallist and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt’s “joke” at the expense of Gurmehar. While Randeep Hooda explained his stance, Sehwag has not yet said anything. He has, however, received criticism from every corner of the country, as these personalities tell us.

Lady Shri Ram backs Gurmehar
The English department faculty at Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women, where Gurmehar is a student, has also backed her in a public statement. In the note, that was signed by professors from the college, read, “We feel that it is the bounden duty of educational institutions to nurture sensitive, responsive and critical thinking students without the fear of violent retaliation. We are proud that Gurmehar has fulfilled her duty as a young citizen of this country. The threats of violence and brutality that she faces are absolutely reprehensible. Responses on social media by public figures such as Virender Sehwag and Randeep Hooda are shameful trivialisation of the intimidation that Gurmehar faces at the hands of violent mobs whose viciousness the university has recently witnessed.”

‘This is just not done’
Ajay Gandhi, organiser of the Hyderabad Literary Fest says that Sehwag’s tweet not just make light of an important issue, but also insulted it. “It was condescending. The man carries a lot of following, and has a lot of social media weight... You’re picking on a 20-year-old girl because she said something a year ago, because she came out and said something in support of a very legitimate issue... that’s just not done. Today, it was reported that she’d also be leaving Delhi... is that how you deal with people’s lives? Not that he himself caused the threats, but we have to be sensitive with people.”
— Ajay Gandhi, organiser, HLF

‘Inhuman thing to do’
Why did Sehwag say this about a young girl who’s trying to cope with the loss of her father? Is that something to joke about? It should be a lesson to him not to be so trigger happy on social media. If Sehwag is on Twitter and is vocal, why hasn’t he said a word about the rape threats to Gurmehar? He should do the decent thing, make an apology now, and speak up against the rape threats to her, if he has any conscience at all. What he said to her was not just a joke in bad taste, it was also a very inhuman thing to say to a 20-year-old girl who’s talking about the death of her father.
— Kavita Krishnan, Secretary —
All India Progressive Women’s Association

‘Sehwag should be ashamed of himself’
Gurmehar Kaur said it right and in a very dignified manner. Her message was torn out of context and it was made to look like she had other motives. I do not approve of the way Virender Sehwag joked about this issue and I think that he should be ashamed of himself for how he handled it. Randeep Hooda just followed suit. Still, saying she is being used as a pawn, is the kind of metaphor that is used a lot when it comes to women in politics. It implies that the woman cannot have her own opinion and is always looked upon as her husband’s wife or her father’s daughter or as the representative of some male opinion. Politics has vitiated the social media, to the point that many, including myself, don’t often make use of the medium anymore, since we are quite irritated with the language of discourse and tone used.
— Pritish Nandy, social commentator

‘Gurmehar is a very brave girl’
If a celebrity goes on to make irresponsible statements, their work has to be seen separately from the comments. Just because someone is popular, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are more educated or enlightened. I think Gurmehar Kaur is a very brave girl. There is no denying that war kills people and wars are results of mistakes our politicians make.
— Mita Vashisht, actress

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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