Cong slams BJP for controversial remarks against martyr's

The Congress today denounced Union minister Kiren Rijiju and a BJP MP for making controversial remarks against a Kargil martyr's daughter, who started a social media campaign against the ABVP, saying it is a perfect example of fascist mindset.
"You may not like what the person thinks but trolling, mindless threats... Trolling emanating from people whom the Prime Minister follows. This is the worst form of state intimidation and this is not how democracies and democratic countries function.
"It is extremely unfortunate and highly reprehensible. Needs to be condemned in the strongest terms that an alternative point of view, if not liked or accepted, will be met by state intimidation and state-sponsored violence whether it is in the real or virtual world," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.

He was replying to a query about rape threats issued to Gurmehar Kaur after she condemned the ABVP for violence at Ramjas college.
Reacting to BJP Mysuru MP Pratap Simha's remarks against her, he said, "Such a gentleman certainly does not deserve to be in Parliament.
"Someone who has no respect for the families of martyrs... for the pain of a young lady who grew up without a father because her father laid down his life to protect the unity and integrity of the country... Such a gentleman definitely has no right to sit in the highest seat of Indian democracy."

Tewari said that unfortunately, this is an ethos which has become intrinsic to the BJP because it flows from the top.

"When you have the Prime Minister of India referring to the media as 'bazaaru', ministers referring journalists as 'presstitutes', front organisations of the RSS and BJP perpetrating violence then obviously their MPs also feel that possibly by insulting the family members of Kargil martyrs, they may also find a place in Modi's Cabinet," he said.
On Rijiju's remarks, Tewari said, "This is an example of fascist culture. She is just not anybody. She is the daughter of a Kargil martyr. Her family understands the meaning of sacrifice. If she condemns violence and you treat her like that... It is a perfect example of fascist mindset."

Coming out in defence of Gurmehar Kaur, whose campaign against the ABVP drew controversial reaction from the BJP leaders, the Congress tweeted, "When a woman thinks independently, patriarchal BJP thinks her mind is polluted. When a person 'bats' for peace, BJP responds with hate (sic)."
"We admire Gurmehar Kaur's courage to stand up against bullies & threats and to fight for Rights of her fellow students. Fascists always fall in the mud & remain there when brave Indians like Gurmehar Kaur chose to fight for peace and not give in to hate (sic)," it said.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also took to Twitter and said, "Speaking the 'truth' is now 'pollution'. New normal by Modiji's ministers. No wonder the ABVP now stands for 'Aao Bhaiya Vidyarthee Peetein'."

"Rape threat to a 20-year old student and Kargil martyr's daughter is BJP-ABVP brand of 'nationalism'. Ghastly and horrific (sic)," he tweeted.
Earlier in the day, Simha tweeted, "At least Dawood did not use the crutches of his father's name to justify his anti-national stand."
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The AAP and the CPI(M) demanded "strict action" against those who allegedly threatened to rape the DU student for her online campaign.
"Women are afraid to speak their mind because of rape threats...Strict action must be taken against those who threatened Kaur with rape," senior AAP leader and party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member Atishi Marlena said, asking the Delhi Police to trace the IP address of the culprits.

Sharing a video of Kaur, in which she is talking about the "rape" threats issued to her, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "THIS is BJP. They will destroy our country. Everyone must rise against their goondaism (sic)."
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury attributed the alleged threats to "fascistic tendency" of the RSS and its affiliates and asked the central government to ensure protection of life and liberty of individuals.
"This is exactly the culture of the RSS and all its organisations. They will not allow any plurality of opinion... this is a fascistic tendency," Yechury said.
He alleged that the RSS and its affiliates will browbeat any opposition to their point of view through violence.

"This is the responsibility of the government to ensure adequate elementary protection to life and liberty of the individual," he added.
Former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee said, "This is scandalous. This can't be. You can't give such threats to women. This is digraceful and must be put down with a heavy hand."
Reacting to Rijiju's tweet, Marlena said, "Who is polluting whose mind? The ABVP, through social media, is threatening women with rape. The MoS Home should not know what his priorities are when women are receiving such explicit threats."
"The hooliganism which the ABVP and BJP supporters resort to happens in the real world. But it is also happening in the virtual world," she alleged.

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"Who'll defend the family of our defenders? Not Home Minister or Kiren Rijiju who've abandoned daughter of a martyr and sided with bullies!" a tweet on the Congress's twitter handle read.
Tewari expressed surprise at the junior home minister's remarks and said "it seems he wants to become the Home Minister of India".
"Probably he has internalised this thing that by giving such statements, he can please the Sangh and the Prime Minister to get himself elevated. He says that someone has polluted her mind. He should have at least thought of her," he said and rued there was no statement from the government on the Ramjas college incident or the missing JNU student.

Tewari said, "Such an atmosphere is being created that those instigating violence and having fascist mindset have protection from the government and not those speaking within the parameters of Constitution. If their view is not in favour of government and does not fall into their perverted mindset of nationalism, they will crush it through violence."
About Kaur getting caught up in a Twitter war with ex-cricketer Virendra Sehwag and actor Randeep Hooda who called her a "political pawn", the Congress leader said that in a way, it's a tribute to the young lady, who has managed to "rankle the highest".

"At one level, it is a tribute to her conviction that what she has articulated in public space has ended up rankling ministers and various other acolytes of this government," he said.
Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh said he was proud of the 24-year-old Delhi University student.
"She cannot be bogged down by bullies. With youngsters like @mehartweets fighting for the rights of students. India will soon overcome the fascist forces. All the best, beta ji!" he said.
"ABVP should be ashamed over rape threat to #Kargil martyr's daughter Gurmehar Kaur in the #DU violence case. Shocking and disgusting!" Singh posted on Twitter.
Kaur claimed she received rape threats on social media after she started the campaign 'I am not afraid of ABVP', following the violence at Ramjas college, which went viral and received a massive support from students of various universities.