Facing criticism from ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur on Monday said she was neither an "anti-national" nor was she being influenced by anybody.
Responding to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju's tweet asking "who's polluting this young girl's mind," Kaur said, "I am not anti-national. My mind is not polluted. I have a mind of my own. I am an adult and can think and take individual decisions."
Kaur is a student of Lady Sri Ram college and the daughter of Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Singh.
"Who's polluting this young girl's mind? A strong Arm Force prevents a war. India never attacked anyone but a weak India was always invaded," Kiren Rijij, Minister of State for Home Affairs had tweeted in response to a picture by Kaur holding a placard which read- "Pakistan did not kill my father. War killed him."
Kaur also responded to former cricketer Virendar Sehwag's tweet.
"It is very sad to see something like this being said by a man who we all cheer for during cricket matches. These are people who are looked up to," she was quoted as saying by ANI.
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20-year-old Kaur, whose now-viral online campaign against RSS-backed student group Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has become the focus of a social media storm with even senior ministers criticising her stand.
Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal today said 'DCW Home Guards' were providing security to Kaur, who complained of
receiving "rape threats" allegedly from ABVP members.
She had earlier met Maliwal with a complaint of alleged rape threats.
Maliwal, who termed the act "shameful", wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik demanding that an FIR be registered against the "abusers" and security be provided to the girl and her family.
Police said they were "examining the matter on priority".
"She has neither given any complaint nor approached police. However, we have received a letter from DCW. We are examining it on priority. Professional police action will be taken," said Dependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police (Southwest) and spokesperson of Delhi Police.
In her letter, Maliwal demanded strict action against those who had threatened Kaur.
"She (Kaur) has been subjected to extreme abuse and rape threats online. Her complaint is self-explanatory and contains relevant screenshots of rape threats and abuse as evidence.
"Considering the gravity of the situation and the threats received, it is recommended that the girl and her family be provided police protection and an FIR be immediately registered against the abusers," Maliwal said in the letter.
Kaur had last week changed her Facebook profile picture holding a placard reading, "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."
Ramjas college had recently witnessed large-scale violence between members of the AISA and the ABVP. The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on 'Culture of Protests', which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by ABVP.
