Gurmehar Kaur’s nationalism beyond question, say teachers and friends
Upright and academically very bright is how Gurmehar Kaur is described by her teachers and friends. They say they are swelling with pride over what she has done and condemned statements questioning her sense of nationalism.
Daughter of an Army martyr, Kaur is a first-year student of English honours at Lady Shri Ram College for Women.
Following the violence at Ramjas College on February 22 when a clash broke out between two student groups, one led by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the other by All India Students’ Association (AISA), the 21-year-old started a social media campaign. As part of the campaign, Kaur posted a profile picture holding a placard that reads: “I am not afraid of ABVP”.
The campaign soon went viral. On Sunday night, Kaur alleged she received rape threats after she changed her photo.
The college issued a statement in her support. “It is immensely gratifying to us as her teachers that she has responded sensitively, creatively and bravely to events in her immediate context rather than seek the safe refuge of silence. 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,” the statement from English department read.
Mitali Mishra, her teacher at the college, says she is surprised that Kaur’s idea of nationalism is being questioned.
“We had our college fest on the day Punjab had elections. She missed the fest and went to vote. She said could not miss her chance of exercising her right as a citizen for a fest,” she said.
Kaur calls herself an ambassador of peace. She made a video appealing for when she was in school. She used the video to say: “Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him... I have learnt to let go off my hate.”
She is now being trolled for the old video which has left her friends and teachers surprised.
“We think it was a beautiful video. She is doing what her parents have taught her and I am very proud of her,” said one of her classmates.