ABVP Calls for Counter-Protest, Asks Left-Wing To “Stay out of DU”

Catch all the live updates from the ‘DU Against Gundagardi’ protest here.

Shorbori Purkayastha
India
Updated:
Protesters hold placards outside SGTB Khalsa college on Tuesday. (Photo: <b>The Quint</b>)
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Protesters hold placards outside SGTB Khalsa college on Tuesday. (Photo: The Quint)
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  • Protesters flood “DU against ABVP gundagardi” demonstrations
  • ABVP has called for a counter-demonstration on 2 March
  • Gurmehar Kaur’s grandfather, Kanwaljeet Singh, said he stands by her
  • Delhi Police lodged an FIR based on Gurmehar’s complaint
  • She has left Delhi following harassment over her anti-ABVP campaign
  • Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met L-G Anil Baijal to discuss the issue

The Quint's 360° View of the Protests

Read the full story here.

ABVP Calls for a Protest on 2 March

ABVP has called for a counter-protest on 2 March. The aprty announced that it will carry out a peaceful demonstration.

... And we wish that the Left-wing does not enter our campus and does not speak of separating the nation in the name of freedom of speech and expression.
Ankit Singh Sangwan, DUSU Secretary

NHRC Issues Notice to Delhi Police

The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to Delhi Police Commissioner over allegations of police excesses outside Ramjas College on 22 February.

Meanwhile, L-G Anil Baijal said he met Delhi CM Kejriwal and assured him, that strict action will be taken against those violating law.

They Can't Win This War on Their Intellect, so They Use Violence: Yechury

CPI-M leader, Sitaram Yechury commented on the issue of nationalism that has arisen from the DU protests:

Our nationalism is ‘We are Indian’ not ‘who is a Hindu’? Since they cannot win this war with their intellectual skill, they want to replace it with violence.

Phogat Sisters Enter Debate

Last night, Babita Phogat’s tweet was her entry into the debate about Gurmehar Kaur and the protests at DU.

The Phogat sisters suggest voices ‘against’ the nation cannot be tolerated:

If you speak against the nation, people will obviously not like it. Irrespective of gender, the person won’t be spared.
Gita Phogat

Her sister, Babita added today:

Gurmehar Kaur’s view that her father was killed by war and not Pakistan was wrong for me. It’s against our nation and martyrs.

Shatrughan Sinha Reacts

BJP MP and former actor Shatrughan Sinha seemed to advocate for free speech:

Democracy<i> jo humare khilaf hain,wo dushman nahi hain</i>. <i>Sabko apni rai rakhne ka adhikar hai. Agar aap sehmat nahi ho</i>,violence <i>tareeka nahi hai. </i>(Everyone has the right to put forth their views, if you don’t agree, violence is not the answer).

ABVP Members Arrive at Protest, Police Gherao Them

Some members of the ABVP began sloganeering at Arts Faculty. They were reportedly protesting against former JNUSU president, Kanhaiya Kumar’s, presence.

The police immediately gheraoed them and the protesters dispersed shortly after.

(Photo: Taruni Kumar)

Court to Hear Plea on 6 March

A lawyer has filed a criminal complaint seeking lodging of an FIR against those who allegedly raised anti-national slogans, with a city court deciding to give it a hearing next week.

The plea was filed by advocate Vivek Garg, who said he had given a complaint to the SHO of Maurice Nagar Police Station but no action was taken.

In his complaint, the lawyer alleged:

Massive anti- national slogans/activities were being carried out by leaders/students of All India Students Association(AISA) and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) in Ramjas College, shamelessly and openly which supported India’s enemy i.e. Pakistan.

CM Kejriwal Meets L-G

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met L-G Anil Baijal, to discuss the issue and register his complaint against ABVP.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said:

This has become a pattern. ABVP goes in and disrupts events, raises slogans. Then leaves and accuses others of raising anti-national slogans. This is what happened in JNU last year and the same thing is being repeated in DU now. Even in the case of Gurmehar Kaur, police have registered an FIR, that’s fine. But it’s become common to troll people on social media. Some action needs to be taken against them for this to stop.

'This is a Democracy'

“The freedom to eat, speak and wear what we will is very dear to us," said Delhi University Teachers’ Association president Nandita Narain. "This is a democracy, how dare the ABVP beat up students and teachers?” she asked.

Since the BJP came to power, the ABVP has been let loose.&nbsp;

Quint Hindi is live from the Protest

This Is State-Sponsored Gundagardi: AAP's Yogendra Yadav

Congratulations Trolls! You Scared a 20-Year-Old

Protesters Reach Ramjas College

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360 Degree View of the March

I Stand by Her, Says Gurmehar's Grandfather

Gurmehar Kaur’s grandfather Kanwaljeet Singh told CNN-News18 that he stands by what she said but is worried for her safety.

Condemning incidents of violence at educational institutions, he said: “The government should not instigate such issues".

Referring to comments by political leaders who lashed out at Kaur, Singh said: “Drama is being created and shouldn’t be highlighted. Politicians must refrain from giving such statements”.

Senior Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal has also voiced his support for Kaur by calling her a “victim of an intolerant mindset”.

#DUAgainstGundagardi

LSR college student, Shivanshi Khanna, who is also present at the march, shared this video with The Quint.

Participants Begin March From Khalsa College

Live From "DU Against Gundagardi" March

'Let Her Be in Peace'

Speaking about Gurmehar Kaur who was trolled for her posts, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju told CNN-News18, “Let the lady be in peace... Anyone who flouts rules will have to face the law.”

IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also commented: “She is a martyr's daughter and we respect her.” He also added that “she has the right to speak”.

'ABVP Khabardaar'

Students and AISA members gather outside SGBT Khalsa college, raise “ABVP Khabardaar” slogans.

Kawalpreet Kaur, one of the organisers of the march, said the participants will cover different colleges in north campus.

ABVP Files Complaint Against Kaur's Harassers

According to reports, the ABVP has now filed a complaint in Maurice Nagar Police Station against people who harassed Gurmehar Kaur on social media.

A copy of the complaint. 

Delhi Police Files FIR Against Unknown Persons

Delhi Police, on Tuesday, filed an FIR against unknown persons after the Delhi Commission for Women forwarded Gurmehar Kaur's complaint.

She has also been asked to submit the screenshots of posts threatening her.

Gurmehar to Leave Delhi

Gurmehar Kaur’s acquaintance, Ram Subramanian, tweeted that Kaur plans to leave Delhi because she is “really scared”.

Kaur took to Twitter to say that she wanted to be left alone.

"People Will Decide What Makes A Strong India"

After facing flak for his remark on Kaur, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju took to Twitter on Tuesday to say that the row was a “nationalists vs far-leftists ideological battle”.

Kejriwal to Meet L-G to Demand Action Against ABVP

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to meet the Lieutenant Governor, Anil Baijal, at 2:30 pm today to demand action against the ABVP for issuing rape threats to DU student Gurmehar Kaur.

Call for Protest Against ABVP's "Gundagardi"

(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/DU Against Gundagardi)

Members of the AISA, the Congress-backed NSUI and the JNU Teachers Association have called for a march to protest the violence at Ramjas College.

The protest, titled “DU Against Gundagardi” – which will kick off at 12:30 pm on 28 February – will see participants marching from SGTB Khalsa College to Ramjas College.

Digital invites of the protest read as follows:

Unite against ABVP’s vandalism in DU. Reassert our right to academic freedom and debate. Reclaim the democratic ethos of DU.

Meanwhile, Gurmehar Kaur took to Twitter to announce her decision to withdraw from the protest.

The “DU Against Gundagardi” march comes a day after the ABVP took out a ‘Tiranga march’ in DU’s North Campus on 27 February.

You Call Your PM a Donkey, How is There No Freedom of Expression: Venkaiah Naidu

Speaking on the issue of freedom of speech, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday:

You live in a country where you compare your Prime Minister to a donkey. How is there no freedom of expression? Freedom of expression means you also respect others opinions.

Commenting on Azadi and pro-Afzal Guru slogans, he said:

What is the meaning of azadi of Kashmir? Thousands have laid down their lives for the unity of the nation…You cannot advocate separatism.

BJP leader Shaina NC urged that the issue be resolved in a “peaceful and constructive manner”.

Student agitations are a norm but this kind of violence should not be patronized in any form. We condemn it. Whether it is the ABVP or another group that is being instigated by so called anti-national elements, it is imperative to sit down, debate and discuss, and come up with a solution so that we don’t spoil the future of our youth.

DU Against Rape Threats

Teachers and student of the Lady Sri Ram college (LSR) have come out in support of DU student Gurmehar Kaur, slamming those who have threatened her with rape. While some are calling the protest “Fight Back, DU”, few others have named it “DU Against Rape Threats”.

Faculty members and students of LSR have openly condemned the rape threats on social media platforms.

Kaur, 20, found herself at the receiving end of vicious online trolling after she launched a campaign in protest of the violence perpetrated by ABVP supporters.

Violence erupted at Ramjas College last week when ABVP supporters objected to a seminar at the campus where JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid were invited to speak.

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Published: 28 Feb 2017,10:32 AM IST

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