Mumbai: Gurmehar Kaur, a student of Ramjas College and a martyr’s daughter, who initiated a social media campaign against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), will be felicitated in Mumbai by Punjabi Cultural Heritage Board today. Ms Kaur (24) will be given ‘Courageous Youth’ award by former Congress MLC Charan Singh Sapra’s organisation.
Mr Sapra said, “Our felicitation is not for her campaign against the Bharatiya Janata Party. But, for the way she stood for the student’s rights is commendable. Our jurists felt that at the age of just 20, she has shown the extraordinary courage and didn’t bow down to pressure. That’s why she will be given this award.”
Ms Kaur, a Delhi University student, had started the campaign “I am not afraid of ABVP”, following the violence at Ramjas College, which went viral and received massive support from students across various universities.
She had also featured in a video, telling the story of her martyred father Mandeep Singh, who was a soldier. In Ms Kaur had said, “Pakistan did not kill my father, the war did.” Her statement had sparked controversy, and right-wing group threatened her. Ms Kaur had to withdraw from the campaign ‘DU against ABVP’ after she received rape threats.
