Gurmehar row: BJP dares Cong, AAP to take out rally with slogan 'Don't blame Pak'

The Baharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday hit out at the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for endorsing Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur's stand while challenging Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal to take out a rally with a slogan 'Don't blame Pak for martyrdom of our soldier'.

"It is totally politicized, there is a presumption in the question that why the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) is doing that without understanding the fact that the ABVP themselves filed a complaint , they themselves have gone out of the way to ensure that no disrespect is shown to Gurmehar. Gurmehar stands for something and may be I can disagree with her and lot of us do disagree with her because we want to blame Pakistan," said BJP's Shazia Ilmi.

"But the fact is Congress says that they back Gurmehar. So, is the Congress and AAP ready to do a rally saying that 'Don't blame Pak' for martyrdom of our soldier and want peace with Pakistan. I dare Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi to take out a rally in support of Gurmehar and her cause. I want them to say we don't want to blame Pakistan for the martyrdom of our soldie. If you really back Gurmehar, do it fully I challenge you," she added.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi earlier this week expressed his complete support towards Lady Shri Ram College student Gurmehar Kaur, who has allegedly received rape threats over her social media campaign in support of students of the Delhi University following unrest in Ramjas College.

"Against the tyranny of fear we stand with our students. For every voice raised in anger, intolerance and ignorance there will be a Gurmehar Kaur," tweeted Gandhi.

Coming out in Gulmehar's defence, the Congress also tweeted: "When a woman thinks independently, patriarchal BJP thinks her mind is polluted. When a person 'bats' for peace, BJP responds with hate. We admire Gurmehar Kaur's courage to stand up against bullies and threats and to fight for rights of her fellow students."

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal too endorsed Gurmehar's stand and shared a video of Kaur speaking about the rape threats she received, Kejriwal tweeted, "Just listen to this. This is BJP. They will destroy our country. Everyone must rise against their goondaism."

"Threatening our daughters and sisters with rape, is this the BJP's patriotism? Shame on these people," he added.

Gurmehar, the daughter of Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Singh sparked a controversy for her social media campaign against ABVP following which she also received rape threats.

Clashes erupted last week after the ABVP students allegedly manhandled and thrashed students protesting the cancellation of an event at Ramjas College at which controversial JNU student Umar Khalid was scheduled to speak.