DCW asks Delhi Police to arrest Gurmehar Kaur's 'online' assailants

New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Monday wrote to the Delhi Police seeking swift action against the miscreants who harassed Lady Shri Ram College student Gurmehar Kaur, whose social media campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) student organisation ABVP went viral.

Addressing the media here, DCW Chief Swati Maliwal informed that she has written a letter to the Delhi Police seeking an FIR against those people, who threatened her with death and rape online.

"She (Kaur) has sent us screenshots of how some boys are continuously threatening her with rape online. The DCW has taken cognisance of the situation and we have written a letter to the Delhi Police, seeking an immediate FIR against these miscreants, so that they are put behind bars," Maliwal said.

Calling on the Delhi Police to take responsibility for the safety and security of Kaur and her family, the DCW chief said that at present there is a despicable trend of people going online to attack women with taunts and threats, adding that an example needs to be set by teaching these men a lesson.

"We need to find who these people are who are targeting her. She (Kaur) has called for action against some ABVP members. If these boys are let go, then it will send a message that you can get away with targeting women. All she wants is peace in our Universities and she is just putting her point across, which we need to respect," Maliwal said.

Further asserting that the DCW does not support any `anti-national` elements whatsoever, she defended Kaur from charges of hurting national sentiments, adding that all she wanted was peace in the Delhi Universities.

Earlier, Gurmehar asserted that her campaign is aimed at raising voice against organisations, which challenge the law of the land and try to curb the fundamental right of `freedom of speech`.

"I will not be scared or be cowed down, my father took a bullet for the country and I am also ready to take bullet for the country, I also have the courage to take a bullet for the nation. I want all students to raise their voices against the violence and say that they will not tolerate this," she said.

After the North Campus clash, Kaur had changed 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.

"Gurmehar had earlier said that she received rape threats on social media after the campaign. Kaur has faced verbal backlash on Facebook, with many saying her father would be extremely unhappy with her for supporting `anti-nationals`.

Delhi University`s Ramjas College had on Wednesday witnessed large-scale violence between members of the AISA and 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 the ABVP.

Meanwhile, a political slugfest is underway over Kargil braveheart`s martyr`s daughter Gurmehar Kaur against the ABVP.Hours after BJP MP Pratap Simha compared Kaur with fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted to suggest that Kaur was being influenced by someone or a group.

"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," the Minister of State for Home Affairs said."

At least Dawood did not use the crutches of his father`s name to justify his anti-national stand," Simha, who represents Mysore in the Lok Sabha, said.