Can take a bullet for the country just like my dad: Kargil martyr's daughter
New Delhi: Responding to threats of violence and rape on social media, Delhi University (DU) student and Kargil martyr’s daughter Gurmehar Kaur on Monday said that she was ready to ‘take a bullet for the country’ just as her father had done 17 years ago.
Kaur had on Sunday faced backlash on social media for changing 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".
Speaking to ANI on the recent violence at Ramjas College of Delhi University’s North Campus, Kaur said, “I will not be scared or be cowed down (by the threats). My father took a bullet for the country, and I am also ready to take a bullet”.
Attacking ABVP for taking law and order into their own hands, Kaur asserted her patriotism. “I love my country. I also love my fellow students, and I support their right to freedom of speech,” she said.
But I will not get scared because I know that I am standing for the right. And it does not matter to me that you are an organisation which is in power, no one can tell me that I should be scared," she added.
Gurmehar also justified the reasons for initiating her campaign.
"It was a simple day that, when I got to know that my female colleagues have been physically assaulted in the protest which took place in the Ramjas College. I also got to know that women were given rape threats. According to me, it was high time to take action against these ABVP people, or for that matter any student organisations which try to challenge the law and order or attempts to misbehave," said Gurmehar.
"And that is why we started this campaign so that we can send across a message that we will not bear any nonsense or violence," she added.
Gurmehar further said, "I have been termed anti-national. However, I don't feel the need to prove my nationalism. The fact is that are they nationalists? No when you threaten your fellow citizens, you don't remain a nationalist."
Asked about ABVP students protesting against Umar Khalid’s speech, Gurmehar Kaur said, “The stones were not pelted at Umar Khalid. He was not even present (at Ramjas College). Stones were pelted on students present there”.
However, MoS Home Kiren Rijiju took aim at Kaur through a tweet on Monday, stating, “Who's polluting this young girl's mind? Strong armed forces prevent a war. India never attacked anyone but a weak India was always invaded”.
