Ramjas ruckus: ABVP holds Tiranga march; Kargil martyr's daughter Gurmehar Kaur faces flak

The student group of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh — Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) — held a Tiranga march at the Delhi University campus on Monday (February 27) to protest over the recent violence at the Ramjas College.

Also read: Ramjas college attack: Daughter of Kargil martyr gets rape threats for protesting against ABVP

Women police officers were deployed at the university's North Campus in anticipation of trouble. Senior police officers also rushed to the academic space. 

Trouble began on February 21 when the English department and Literary Society of Ramjas College organised a two-day seminar on 'Cultures of Protest: A Seminar Exploring Representations of Dissent' where Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid were invited as guest speakers.

ABVP reportedly threw stones while seminar was taking place and resorted to violence. Students from both Ramjas College and JNU later held a protest march, where ABVP members reportedly beat up professors and students. Prasanta Chakravorty, a professor from the English department, was badly injured in the attack on February 22. He was kicked and almost choked with his own muffler.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that they were monitoring the situation and the police had been instructed not to harass students. Earlier, the police were seen beating up female students while forcing them inside police vehicles. 

The anti-ABVP students rose in protest and filed FIR against it over the violence. Students and academics have alleged that the ABVP is clamping down on their freedom for expression. In pointed attacks, a section of students also targeted a teacher from the English Department in Ramjas College asking for his ouster. However, those in his support have called him an "extraordinary teacher". 

Ramjas College principal Rajendra Prasad has urged all sides to maintain peace on the campus. 

"Confront ideas and not people. My heart bleeds when Ramjas bleeds," he said. Prasad added that he was equally concerned about the safety of the students, like their parents. He said: "Appeal to the students to not indulge in any activity which spoils the name of Ramjas College. Let us resolve problems in a peaceful and constructive manner. I share the safety concerns of the parents." 

Meanwhile, the daughter of a martyred soldier Gurmehar Kaur became the subject of a controversy after she posted a video denouncing war and citing it as the reason for her father's death, not Pakistan. She also spoke against the ABVP's role in the Ramjas incident and was criticised on the social media.

The Congress also criticised the ABVP saying that it is now known as "Aao Bhaiya Vidyarthee Peetein" using Prime Minister Narendra Modi's penchant for using acronyms as part of his political rhetoric. 

Cricketer Virender Sehwag, actor Randeep Hooda and politician Kiren Rijiju have since taken potshots at the girl. 

The girl has since received rape threats on Facebook and has been called an anti-national.