Martyr’s daughter withdraws from campaign; college backs her

  [caption id="attachment_100463" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Students and teachers of Delhi University, JNU and Jamia during their protest march at North Campus in New Delhi on Tuesday. The sudents held placards with messages like "Save the varsities from the onslaught of ABVP" and "Your nationalism is not above our democracy". [/caption]   New Delhi, Feb. 28: DU student Gurmehar Kaur on Tuesday withdrew from her social media campaign against the ABVP after allegedly receiving threats from the members of the RSS-backed outfit and being trolled by the ruling BJP leaders. Kaur, daughter of martyr Captain Mandeep Singh, received support from her college - the Lady Shri Ram college which termed her act as sensible and brave. “I’m withdrawing from the campaign. Congratulations everyone. I request to be left alone. I said what I had to say... One thing is for sure, next time we will think twice before resorting to violence or threats and that’s all this was about,” she tweeted. Kaur said she has been through a lot, and “this is all my 20 year self could take”. After withdrawing from the campaign, the DU student will not participate in any activity against ABVP members. She will also not participate in a march being held by a group of students at the Delhi University. In a series of tweets, she said, “The campaign is about students and not about me. Please go to the march in huge numbers. Best of luck... To anyone questioning my courage and bravery.. I’ve shown more than enough.” The Lady Sri Ram college backed Kaur saying that she has the right to express her opinion. “We support our student as duty of institutions is to nurture students without fear. Gurmehar has right to express her opinion and she responded sensitively, bravely. She has fulfilled her duty as a young citizen,” the college said in a statement. The 20-year-old girl had started the campaign ‘I am not afraid of ABVP’, following the violence at Ramjas college. The campaign went viral and received a massive support from students of various universities. She had on Monday met Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal and said that she has been receiving “rape threats” on social media, allegedly by ABVP members. Maliwal, who termed the threats as “shameful”, has also written to Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik demanding that an FIR be registered against the “abusers” and security be provided to the woman and her family. Currently, DCW Home Guards are providing protection to Kaur. Delhi Police registers FIR in Gurmehar case, trying to identify culprits The Delhi Police on Tuesday registered an FIR regarding death and rape threats issued to Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur and is in the process of zeroing in on the culprits, a senior officer said. After the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, a first information report under Section 67 of the Information Technology Act and Sections 354-A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code was registered. “We are in the process of identifying social media sites from where (death and rape) messages were generated and awaiting details from the websites concerned,” Joint Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak said. Gurmehar, 20, met DCW chief Swati Maliwal on Monday to complain about the online threats to her ever since the Lady Shri Ram College student launched a social media campaign against Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, accused of involvement in assault on students, teachers and the media outside Ramjas College on February 22. The police officer said strict vigil was maintained on the North Campus of Delhi University. “Besides ensuring adequate security for protest marches held on Monday and Tuesday, we are keeping a strict vigil on the university campus and adjoining areas where teachers and student reside,” said Pathak. Meanwhile, the ABVP also filed a police complaint, urging prompt and strong action against those threatening Kaur. “Unfortunately, Gurmehar Kaur has been accusing the ABVP for the threats. But no one from our organisation is involved. “We, therefore, urge you to promptly identify those who threatened her and take strong action and ensure justice to Gurmehar Kaur,” ABVP media convener Saket Bahuguna said in the complaint submitted at the Maurice Nagar police station.

IANS

  DCW issues notice to Facebook over online rape threats Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Tuesday issued notice to Facebook seeking details to identify those who issued rape threats to Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur. She also asked Facebook to deactivate the accounts from which the threats were issued. In the notice, Maliwal wrote that Kaur was subjected to “extreme abuse and rape threats” on her Facebook profile. “The Commission is in receipt of a complaint from her which is self-explanatory and contains relevant screen shots of rape threats and abuse as evidence,” the notice read. “The Commission is of the view that urgent action needs to be taken against the abusers by Facebook and their social media accounts need to be deactivated immediately.” Maliwal added that an FIR has already been registered in the matter by Delhi Police after intervention by the DCW. The DCW also asked the social media site to provide complete contact details, IP addresses and any other information available with it which will help identify the abusers. It also asked it to submit by March 6 what action it took against the social media accounts of those who abused Kaur. Daughter of an army officer killed in the Kargil war, the Lady Shri Ram College student received rape and death threats on social media after launching an online campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

IANS