<p>Gurmehar Kaur, who became the focal point of a nationalism debate last year, says her answer to repeated questions about how she survived the vitriol and social media trial and from where she gathered the strength to move on is her new book.</p>

<p>&quot;Small Acts of Freedom&quot; is the story of three generations of single women in a family who have faced the world on their own terms. It has an unusual narrative structure that crisscrosses between the past and the present, spanning 70 years from 1947 to 2017.</p>

<p>From her grandmother who came to India from Lahore after Partition to the whirlwind romance between her parents, from her war martyr father&#39;s state funeral to her experiences since her days of student activism, Gurmehar&#39;s debut is about the fierceness of love, the power of family and the little acts that beget big revolutions.</p>

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<p>Gurmehar writes about the women in her family who fought their own battles, who stood by each other and who kept going.</p>

<p>&quot;I grew up with these women, listening to their stories over and over again and watching them take on the world on their own terms,&quot; she says.</p>

<p>In February 2017, Gurmehar, a 19-year-old English Literature student at Lady Shri Ram College here, joined a peaceful campaign after violent clashes at Delhi University&#39;s Ramjas College.</p>

<p>As part of the campaign, her post (that she is not afraid of the ABVP and all students are with her) made her the target of an onslaught of social media vitriol, including death and rape threats and furious commentary from people ranging from politicians to cricketers, actors to media influencers.</p>

<p>Also back in the spotlight was her April 2016 video campaign for peace, in which she held up a placard saying about her father, a Kargil martyr, &quot;Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him.&quot;</p>

<p>Suddenly, she was at the centre of the entire nationalism debate and found herself under fire from innumerable sources online and offline.</p>

<p>Gurmehar says she wants no one to go through what she went through, what her family went through.</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;ve been trolled, mocked and bullied. I&#39;ve had people call me names. And I&#39;ve been frightened for my life. But I emerged from all of that more determined than ever before to never be silenced,&quot; she writes in the book, published by Penguin.</p>

<p>She says she has been asked different variations of one question over and over again: how did she survive that? What kept her going? What did she hold on to?</p>

<p>&quot;I write this book to answer just that. My story does not start with me. The courage - or resilience or whatever you want to call it - that I was able to display did not come to me overnight. My strength is inherited. I don&#39;t believe that my existence is all about a three-day-long controversy,&quot; Gurmehar says.</p>


'Small Acts of Freedom' is the story of three generations of single women in a family who have faced the world on their own terms

Gurmehar Kaur, who became the focal point of a nationalism debate last year, says her answer to repeated questions about how she survived the vitriol and social media trial and from where she gathered the strength to move on is her new book. "Small Acts of Freedom" is the story of three generations of single women in a family who have faced the world on their own terms. It has an unusual narrative structure that crisscrosses between the past and the present, spanning 70 years from 1947 to 2017. From her grandmother who came to India from Lahore after Partition to the whirlwind romance between her parents, from her war martyr father's state funeral to her experiences since her days of student activism, Gurmehar's debut is about the fierceness of love, the power of family and the little acts that beget big revolutions. The book has an unusual narrative structure that crisscrosses between the past and the present, spanning 70 years from 1947 to 2017 × Gurmehar writes about the women in her family who fought their own battles, who stood by each other and who kept going. "I grew up with these women, listening to their stories over and over again and watching them take on the world on their own terms," she says. In February 2017, Gurmehar, a 19-year-old English Literature student at Lady Shri Ram College here, joined a peaceful campaign after violent clashes at Delhi University's Ramjas College. As part of the campaign, her post (that she is not afraid of the ABVP and all students are with her) made her the target of an onslaught of social media vitriol, including death and rape threats and furious commentary from people ranging from politicians to cricketers, actors to media influencers. Also back in the spotlight was her April 2016 video campaign for peace, in which she held up a placard saying about her father, a Kargil martyr, "Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him." Suddenly, she was at the centre of the entire nationalism debate and found herself under fire from innumerable sources online and offline. Gurmehar says she wants no one to go through what she went through, what her family went through. "I've been trolled, mocked and bullied. I've had people call me names. And I've been frightened for my life. But I emerged from all of that more determined than ever before to never be silenced," she writes in the book, published by Penguin. She says she has been asked different variations of one question over and over again: how did she survive that? What kept her going? What did she hold on to? "I write this book to answer just that. My story does not start with me. The courage - or resilience or whatever you want to call it - that I was able to display did not come to me overnight. My strength is inherited. I don't believe that my existence is all about a three-day-long controversy," Gurmehar says.

Gurmehar Kaur writes book, says it answers question she was asked over and over again

<p>Gurmehar Kaur, the 20-year-old Delhi University student who made headlines in February after a Facebook post she made against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) saying she is not afraid of them, is back in the limelight. This time, it&rsquo;s for her first blog post titled &ldquo;I am&rdquo;.</p>

<p>In the post, she rejects the various stereotypes and characterisations pushed on her by the public, the media, celebrities and trolls.</p>

<p>The post reads</p>

<p><em>Who am I?</em></p>

<p><em>A question, I could&rsquo;ve answered without any inhibitions or a trace of wariness in my standard cheerful tone only a few weeks ago. Now, I&rsquo;m not so sure.</em></p>

<p><em>Am I who the trolls think I am?</em></p>

<p><em>Am I what the media portrayed me as?</em></p>

<p><em>Am I what those celebrities think of me?</em></p>

<p>Days after ABVP activists prevented a seminar at Delhi University&rsquo;s (DU) Ramjas College, a Facebook post by a student from DU&#39;s LSR College condemning the right-wing students&#39; group had gone viral on Facebook.</p>

<p>Gurmehar Kaur, daughter of Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Singh, changed her Facebook profile picture holding a placard which read &ldquo;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&rdquo;.</p>

<p>Gurmehar&rsquo;s post initiated a social media campaign, &ldquo;I am not scared of ABVP&rdquo; after the literature student&rsquo;s classmates and peers started sharing the post.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But she withdrew from her campaign after allegedly receiving threats.</p>

<p>She then goes on to answer her own questions. She writes</p>

<p><em>No, I can&rsquo;t be any of that. That girl you saw flashing all over your television screens, holding a placard in hand, eyebrows raised, gaze fixed at the tiny round lens of a cellphone camera, definitely looked like me. The intensity of her thoughts that reflected in the picture definitely had traces of me. She looked fiery, I relate to that but then the &lsquo;Breaking news headlines&rsquo; told a different story. The headlines were not me.</em></p>

<p>She finally ends by saying</p>

<p><em>My father is a martyr. I&rsquo;m his daughter.</em></p>

<p><em>But.</em></p>

<p><em>I am not your &ldquo;Martyr&rsquo;s Daughter&rdquo;.</em></p>

<p>Read her full post <a href="https://gurmeharkaur.wordpress.com/2017/04/09/first-blog-post/">here</a>.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


In her blog post titled 'I am', Gurmehar says she is not the ?Breaking news headlines? and that they told a different story

Gurmehar Kaur, the 20-year-old Delhi University student who made headlines in February after a Facebook post she made against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) saying she is not afraid of them, is back in the limelight. This time, it’s for her first blog post titled “I am”. In the post, she rejects the various stereotypes and characterisations pushed on her by the public, the media, celebrities and trolls. The post reads Who am I? A question, I could’ve answered without any inhibitions or a trace of wariness in my standard cheerful tone only a few weeks ago. Now, I’m not so sure. Am I who the trolls think I am? Am I what the media portrayed me as? Am I what those celebrities think of me? Days after ABVP activists prevented a seminar at Delhi University’s (DU) Ramjas College, a Facebook post by a student from DU's LSR College condemning the right-wing students' group had gone viral on Facebook. Gurmehar Kaur, daughter of Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Singh, 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’s post initiated a social media campaign, “I am not scared of ABVP” after the literature student’s classmates and peers started sharing the post. But she withdrew from her campaign after allegedly receiving threats. She then goes on to answer her own questions. She writes No, I can’t be any of that. That girl you saw flashing all over your television screens, holding a placard in hand, eyebrows raised, gaze fixed at the tiny round lens of a cellphone camera, definitely looked like me. The intensity of her thoughts that reflected in the picture definitely had traces of me. She looked fiery, I relate to that but then the ‘Breaking news headlines’ told a different story. The headlines were not me. She finally ends by saying My father is a martyr. I’m his daughter. But. I am not your “Martyr’s Daughter”. Read her full post here. (WION)

I am not your 'Martyr?s Daughter', Gurmehar Kaur writes in new blog post

<p>Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday condemned the recent clashes between right-and left-wing student groups in the capital&#39;s Delhi University, saying there should be no room in the country for the &quot;intolerant Indian&quot; in a country that had advocated free thought, speech and expression since ancient times.</p>

<p>&quot;Freedom of speech and expression is one of the most important fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution. There must be space for legitimate criticism and dissent,&quot; the President said in an address to lawmakers.</p>

<p>He advocated free thinking in university campuses and said students and faculties must engage in &quot;reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagating a culture of unrest&quot;.</p>

<p>He also said it was tragic to see students caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet.</p>

<p>&quot;It is tragic to see them (students) caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet,&quot; President Mukherjee said. He was speaking at the sixth K S Rajamony Memorial Lecture in New Delhi.</p>

<p>Underlining ancient glorious culture of universities in the country, he said, &quot;Our premier institutions of higher education are the vehicles on which India has to propel itself into a knowledge society.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;These temples of learning must resound with creativity and free thinking,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>President Mukherjee&#39;s comments come amid the backdrop of the ongoing tussle between the right-wing ABVP and Left-backed AISA supporters in the Delhi University.</p>

<p>The President also cautioned against the &iacute;ntolerance&#39; against women.</p>

<p>His comments came in the backdrop of the raging debate over free speech and nationalism following recent tweets of&nbsp;Gurmehar Kaur, a Delhi University student who faced threats of rape and death after she launched a social media campaign against the ABVP violence.</p>

<p>Gurmehar was also trolled on social media for her statement on Twitter that &quot;Pakistan didn&#39;t killed my father but the war did&quot;.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Pranab Mukherjee cautioned against the exploitation of &quot;fault lines&quot; in the society, intolerance and attack on women.</p>

<p>&quot;Protection and safety of our women and children must be a nationwide priority. The acid test of any society is its attitude towards women and children. India should not fail this test,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>In terse comments, Mukherjee said he does not consider a society or State to be civilised if its citizens&#39; behaviour towards women is uncivilised.</p>

<p>&quot;When we brutalise a woman, we wound the soul of our civilisation. Not only does our Constitution guarantee equal rights to women but our culture and tradition also celebrate the feminine as divine,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The President said the country must be conscious of the fact that democracy required constant nurturing.</p>

<p>&quot;At no cost should we allow the exploitation of the fault lines. Those who spread violence must remember that Buddha, Ashoka and Akbar are remembered as heroes in history; not Hitler or Genghis Khan,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The nation and the people must always come first, he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Let us strive to arrest the moral decline in our society and ensure that our core civilisational values find firm root. Let us exert ourselves to strengthen India&#39;s pluralism and diversity. Let us be uncompromising in rooting out violence, prejudice and hatred,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>President Mukherjee, who has been in public life for almost six decades, advised lawmakers and political activists to listen, engage, learn from people and respond to their needs and concerns.</p>

<p>He also asked lawmakers not to take people for granted and to raise issues of concern to the people as well as find solutions to their problems.</p>

<p>&quot;No one who holds any elected office has been invited by the voters to occupy that office. Each one has gone to the voters and pleaded for their votes and support. The trust placed by the people in the political system and those elected should not be betrayed,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>President Mukherji also criticised the ruckus in the Tamil Nadu state assembly during chief minister Palaniswamy&#39;s trust vote and said legislatures must not turn into arenas for combat.</p>

<p>&quot;Floor tests are not meant to be muscle tests. The opportunity to represent the people is not a right or entitlement but a moral obligation and duty. Our elected representatives owe it to the people of our country to act as models of exemplary conduct,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>He said if the Parliament and legislative assemblies became dysfunctional, it would result not just in the paralysis of those institutions but create an adverse impact across the system.</p>

<p>&quot;The debate and discussions which ought to take place in the open in the House of Parliament and assemblies cannot be replicated elsewhere. When they cease to function effectively, issues spill out onto the streets. The very basis of our democracy gets undermined,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The President also raised an alarm about the frequent disruptions in Parliament, stating that interruptions had increased from 9.95 per cent in the 10th Lok Sabha to a shocking 41.6 per cent in the 15th Lok Sabha and about 16 per cent in the 16th Lok Sabha (up to the 10th session).</p>

<p>President Mukherjee said although the production of wealth must necessarily be one of the predominant objectives of state policy, it must be imbued with the principle of equality on which there can be no compromise.</p>

<p>&quot;An egalitarian society can only be created when growth is inclusive. It is important to ensure that there is justice and equality of opportunity and the state does not create conditions in which the privileged few gain at the cost of the multitudes who suffer endemic poverty,&quot; he said.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


His comment came in the midst of the ongoing tussle and clashes in Delhi University between left- and right-wing student groups

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday condemned the recent clashes between right-and left-wing student groups in the capital's Delhi University, saying there should be no room in the country for the "intolerant Indian" in a country that had advocated free thought, speech and expression since ancient times. "Freedom of speech and expression is one of the most important fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution. There must be space for legitimate criticism and dissent," the President said in an address to lawmakers. He advocated free thinking in university campuses and said students and faculties must engage in "reasoned discussion and debate rather than propagating a culture of unrest". He also said it was tragic to see students caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet. "It is tragic to see them (students) caught in the vortex of violence and disquiet," President Mukherjee said. He was speaking at the sixth K S Rajamony Memorial Lecture in New Delhi. Underlining ancient glorious culture of universities in the country, he said, "Our premier institutions of higher education are the vehicles on which India has to propel itself into a knowledge society." "These temples of learning must resound with creativity and free thinking," he said. President Mukherjee's comments come amid the backdrop of the ongoing tussle between the right-wing ABVP and Left-backed AISA supporters in the Delhi University. The President also cautioned against the íntolerance' against women. His comments came in the backdrop of the raging debate over free speech and nationalism following recent tweets of Gurmehar Kaur, a Delhi University student who faced threats of rape and death after she launched a social media campaign against the ABVP violence. Gurmehar was also trolled on social media for her statement on Twitter that "Pakistan didn't killed my father but the war did". Pranab Mukherjee cautioned against the exploitation of "fault lines" in the society, intolerance and attack on women. "Protection and safety of our women and children must be a nationwide priority. The acid test of any society is its attitude towards women and children. India should not fail this test," he said. In terse comments, Mukherjee said he does not consider a society or State to be civilised if its citizens' behaviour towards women is uncivilised. "When we brutalise a woman, we wound the soul of our civilisation. Not only does our Constitution guarantee equal rights to women but our culture and tradition also celebrate the feminine as divine," he said. The President said the country must be conscious of the fact that democracy required constant nurturing. "At no cost should we allow the exploitation of the fault lines. Those who spread violence must remember that Buddha, Ashoka and Akbar are remembered as heroes in history; not Hitler or Genghis Khan," he said. The nation and the people must always come first, he said. "Let us strive to arrest the moral decline in our society and ensure that our core civilisational values find firm root. Let us exert ourselves to strengthen India's pluralism and diversity. Let us be uncompromising in rooting out violence, prejudice and hatred," he said. President Mukherjee, who has been in public life for almost six decades, advised lawmakers and political activists to listen, engage, learn from people and respond to their needs and concerns. He also asked lawmakers not to take people for granted and to raise issues of concern to the people as well as find solutions to their problems. "No one who holds any elected office has been invited by the voters to occupy that office. Each one has gone to the voters and pleaded for their votes and support. The trust placed by the people in the political system and those elected should not be betrayed," he said. President Mukherji also criticised the ruckus in the Tamil Nadu state assembly during chief minister Palaniswamy's trust vote and said legislatures must not turn into arenas for combat. "Floor tests are not meant to be muscle tests. The opportunity to represent the people is not a right or entitlement but a moral obligation and duty. Our elected representatives owe it to the people of our country to act as models of exemplary conduct," he said. He said if the Parliament and legislative assemblies became dysfunctional, it would result not just in the paralysis of those institutions but create an adverse impact across the system. "The debate and discussions which ought to take place in the open in the House of Parliament and assemblies cannot be replicated elsewhere. When they cease to function effectively, issues spill out onto the streets. The very basis of our democracy gets undermined," he said. The President also raised an alarm about the frequent disruptions in Parliament, stating that interruptions had increased from 9.95 per cent in the 10th Lok Sabha to a shocking 41.6 per cent in the 15th Lok Sabha and about 16 per cent in the 16th Lok Sabha (up to the 10th session). President Mukherjee said although the production of wealth must necessarily be one of the predominant objectives of state policy, it must be imbued with the principle of equality on which there can be no compromise. "An egalitarian society can only be created when growth is inclusive. It is important to ensure that there is justice and equality of opportunity and the state does not create conditions in which the privileged few gain at the cost of the multitudes who suffer endemic poverty," he said. (WION with inputs from PTI)

No room for intolerant Indian in this country, says President Pranab Mukherjee

<p>Gurmehar Kaur pulled out of the protest march Tuesday by Delhi University and JNU students.</p>

<p>The students were marching at Delhi university to protest against &quot;goondaism&quot; by the ABVP. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Gurmehar had been supposed to attend but finally pulled out, tweeting that &quot;this is all my 20 year self could take :)&quot;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have been through a lot and this is all my 20 year self could take :)</p>
&mdash; Gurmehar Kaur (@mehartweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/mehartweets/status/836393973446893569">February 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">To anyone questioning my courage and bravery.. I&#39;ve shown more than enough</p>
&mdash; Gurmehar Kaur (@mehartweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/mehartweets/status/836394882331627521">February 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>She however encouraged people to attend the march, saying the campaign &quot;is about students and not about me&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She also asked to be left alone.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">It&#39;s a request, please leave me alone. Stop spamming my wall and phone. Any question abt my decision tweet to <a href="https://twitter.com/Voice_Of_Ram">@Voice_Of_Ram</a></p>
&mdash; Gurmehar Kaur (@mehartweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/mehartweets/status/836449772290605056">February 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>There was tremendous amounts of support for her.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hounding of &amp; threats to <a href="https://twitter.com/mehartweets">@mehartweets</a> by Sanghi trolls tells how effective she is. Like her father, she is a brave person. More power to her</p>
&mdash; Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) <a href="https://twitter.com/SitaramYechury/status/835893350674927617">February 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/mehartweets">@mehartweets</a> dont see it as a withdrawal. you have shown courage,m spunk and dignity and made your point. More than.</p>
&mdash; barkha dutt (@BDUTT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BDUTT/status/836424469883187200">February 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Also on Tuesday, Delhi Police filed an FIR&nbsp;on Gurmehar&#39;s complaint that alleged ABVP members had made rape threats against&nbsp;her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Gurmehar&#39;s grandfather Kanwaljeet Singh lashed out at politicians Tuesday.</p>

<p>&quot;Drama is being created which shouldn`t be highlighted. Politicians must refrain from giving statements,&quot; ANI reported him as saying. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This was after minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju alleged &quot;leftists&quot; were misleading Gurmehar. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;She (Gurmehar Kaur) is a young girl, creating controversy over her isn`t right. It is about leftists who celebrate when our jawans die. They mislead the youth and it is not right,&quot; Rijiju had told reporters.</p>

<p>ANI reported Rijiju as having said Gurmehar is the daughter of a Kargil martyr whose soul must be weeping seeing his daughter being misguided by those who celebrate on the bodies of martyrs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He had earlier wonder who was &quot;polluting&quot;&nbsp;her mind.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The lyricist Javed Akhtar was quick to pounce on that, tweeting: &quot;I don&#39;t about her but Mr Minister I know who is polluting your mind.&quot;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from ANI)</p>


'I have been through a lot and this is all my 20 year self could take', she tweets

Gurmehar Kaur pulled out of the protest march Tuesday by Delhi University and JNU students. The students were marching at Delhi university to protest against "goondaism" by the ABVP. Gurmehar had been supposed to attend but finally pulled out, tweeting that "this is all my 20 year self could take :)" I have been through a lot and this is all my 20 year self could take :) — Gurmehar Kaur (@mehartweets) February 28, 2017 × To anyone questioning my courage and bravery.. I've shown more than enough — Gurmehar Kaur (@mehartweets) February 28, 2017 × She however encouraged people to attend the march, saying the campaign "is about students and not about me". She also asked to be left alone. It's a request, please leave me alone. Stop spamming my wall and phone. Any question abt my decision tweet to @Voice_Of_Ram — Gurmehar Kaur (@mehartweets) February 28, 2017 × There was tremendous amounts of support for her. Hounding of & threats to @mehartweets by Sanghi trolls tells how effective she is. Like her father, she is a brave person. More power to her — Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) February 26, 2017 × @mehartweets dont see it as a withdrawal. you have shown courage,m spunk and dignity and made your point. More than. — barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 28, 2017 × Also on Tuesday, Delhi Police filed an FIR on Gurmehar's complaint that alleged ABVP members had made rape threats against her. Meanwhile, Gurmehar's grandfather Kanwaljeet Singh lashed out at politicians Tuesday. "Drama is being created which shouldn`t be highlighted. Politicians must refrain from giving statements," ANI reported him as saying. This was after minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju alleged "leftists" were misleading Gurmehar. "She (Gurmehar Kaur) is a young girl, creating controversy over her isn`t right. It is about leftists who celebrate when our jawans die. They mislead the youth and it is not right," Rijiju had told reporters. ANI reported Rijiju as having said Gurmehar is the daughter of a Kargil martyr whose soul must be weeping seeing his daughter being misguided by those who celebrate on the bodies of martyrs. He had earlier wonder who was "polluting" her mind. The lyricist Javed Akhtar was quick to pounce on that, tweeting: "I don't about her but Mr Minister I know who is polluting your mind." (WION with inputs from ANI)

Gurmehar pulls out of protest march against ABVP

<p>Gurmehar Kaur has hit back at both cricketer Virender Sehwag who had mocked her on Twitter, and minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju who had asked who was &quot;polluting&quot; her mind.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I am heartbroken,&quot; she tweeted, &quot;these are the ppl you yell for in matches &amp; they troll you at the expense of your father&#39;s death.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>And to Rijiju, she said: &quot;I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I am heartbroken, these are the ppl you yell for in matches &amp; they troll you at the expense of your father&#39;s death: Gurmehar Kaur on Sehwag <a href="https://t.co/uW02FGNYTf">pic.twitter.com/uW02FGNYTf</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/836239212852609024">February 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national: DU student Gurmehar Kaur on MoS Home Kiren Rijiju <a href="https://t.co/zMwM6Gv75z">pic.twitter.com/zMwM6Gv75z</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/836238007841800195">February 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>A&nbsp;Facebook post by Kaur had gone viral last week. In the post, she holds up a placard saying: &quot;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&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her post had come after violence on Delhi Univesity&#39;s Ramjas College campus by students of the ABVP, the students&#39; wing of the BJP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ABVP students had forcibly shut down a seminar at Ramjas at which the JNU student Umar Khalid was to speak on Bastar, the subject of his PhD.</p>

<p>Khalid had last year been charged with sedition after allegedly anti-national chants were raised on JNU.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Kaur has been provided security -- two women constables will now be stationed with her -- after she alleged rape threats online. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Sehwag had earlier today mocked an earlier video of Kaur&#39;s, in which she holds up a placard saying: &quot;Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gurmehar&#39;s father, Captain Mandeep Singh, had been killed in the 1999 Kargil war.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sehwag replied to Gurmehar&#39;s video by holding up a placard of his own which said, &quot;I did not score two triple centuries. My bat did.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sehwag&#39;s tweet was retweeted by actor Randeep Hooda, who later said she was being used as a &quot;political pawn&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In similar vein, minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju had earlier tweeted: &quot;Who&rsquo;s polluting this young girl&rsquo;s mind? A strong Arm Force prevents a war. India never attacked anyone but a weak India was always invaded.&quot; &nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


She adds nobody is 'polluting' her mind after Rijiju wonders who might be. Has been given security after she alleged rape threats online

Gurmehar Kaur has hit back at both cricketer Virender Sehwag who had mocked her on Twitter, and minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju who had asked who was "polluting" her mind. "I am heartbroken," she tweeted, "these are the ppl you yell for in matches & they troll you at the expense of your father's death." And to Rijiju, she said: "I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national." I am heartbroken, these are the ppl you yell for in matches & they troll you at the expense of your father's death: Gurmehar Kaur on Sehwag pic.twitter.com/uW02FGNYTf — ANI (@ANI_news) February 27, 2017 × I have my own mind, no body is polluting my mind. I am not anti-national: DU student Gurmehar Kaur on MoS Home Kiren Rijiju pic.twitter.com/zMwM6Gv75z — ANI (@ANI_news) February 27, 2017 × A Facebook post by Kaur had gone viral last week. In the post, she holds up a placard saying: "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". Her post had come after violence on Delhi Univesity's Ramjas College campus by students of the ABVP, the students' wing of the BJP. The ABVP students had forcibly shut down a seminar at Ramjas at which the JNU student Umar Khalid was to speak on Bastar, the subject of his PhD. Khalid had last year been charged with sedition after allegedly anti-national chants were raised on JNU. Meanwhile, Kaur has been provided security -- two women constables will now be stationed with her -- after she alleged rape threats online. Sehwag had earlier today mocked an earlier video of Kaur's, in which she holds up a placard saying: "Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him." Gurmehar's father, Captain Mandeep Singh, had been killed in the 1999 Kargil war. Sehwag replied to Gurmehar's video by holding up a placard of his own which said, "I did not score two triple centuries. My bat did." Sehwag's tweet was retweeted by actor Randeep Hooda, who later said she was being used as a "political pawn". In similar vein, minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju had earlier tweeted: "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." (WION)

Gurmehar vs Sehwag, Rijiju: 'I am not anti-national,' she says

<p>Former cricketer Virender Sehwag has drawn ire from the liberals on Twitter for apparently mocking a slain Kargil soldier&#39;s daughter for standing up to a right-wing student organisation in Delhi University.</p>

<p>Gurmehar Kaur, a student of India&#39;s prominent Lady Shri Ram College, had put up a Facebook post on February 22,&nbsp;with her holding a placard that read: &quot;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.&quot;</p>

<p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="854" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fgurmehark%2Fposts%2F10212395809752608%3A0&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe></p>

<p>Kaur was condemning the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for resorting to violence after learning about Ramjas College&#39;s invitation to Jawaharlal Nehru University students -- Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid -- for a cultural event.</p>

<p>ABVP, a student organisation of India&#39;s right-wing party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was incensed about the invitation as they view Khalid and Rashid as &quot;anti-nationals&quot;.</p>

<p>Some of the ABVP members were accused of physically assaulting teachers and students during their protest in Ramjas College.</p>

<p>But Sehwag, who has become popular for his funny quips on social media following his retirement, has landed himself in a soup after posting a message: &quot;I didn&#39;t score two triple centuries, my bat did.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bat me hai Dum !<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BharatJaisiJagahNahi?src=hash">#BharatJaisiJagahNahi</a> <a href="https://t.co/BNaO1LBHLH">pic.twitter.com/BNaO1LBHLH</a></p>
&mdash; Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/835856883655245824">February 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He was referring to Kaur&#39;s earlier campaign in which she had said: &quot;Pakistan did not kill my dad. War killed him.&quot;</p>

<p>Sehwag&#39;s message sent the Twitterati into a frenzy, with the liberals in India, mockingly called &#39;sickulars&#39; by the right-wingers, slamming the former cricketer for bullying Kaur.</p>

<p>But Sehwag found support in Indian film actor Randeep Hooda, who felt that Kaur was being used as a &quot;political pawn and a prop to spread hatred&quot;.</p>

<p>The cricketer was also backed by the already angry right-wing who believe Kaur to be &quot;anti-national&quot; and have launched a no-holds-barred attack on her for speaking out against the violence in Ramjas College.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Ex-cricketer Virender Sehwag has been accused by many of bullying Gurmehar Kaur for condemning college campus violence

Former cricketer Virender Sehwag has drawn ire from the liberals on Twitter for apparently mocking a slain Kargil soldier's daughter for standing up to a right-wing student organisation in Delhi University. Gurmehar Kaur, a student of India's prominent Lady Shri Ram College, had put up a Facebook post on February 22, with her holding a placard that 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." Kaur was condemning the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for resorting to violence after learning about Ramjas College's invitation to Jawaharlal Nehru University students -- Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid -- for a cultural event. ABVP, a student organisation of India's right-wing party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was incensed about the invitation as they view Khalid and Rashid as "anti-nationals". Some of the ABVP members were accused of physically assaulting teachers and students during their protest in Ramjas College. But Sehwag, who has become popular for his funny quips on social media following his retirement, has landed himself in a soup after posting a message: "I didn't score two triple centuries, my bat did." Bat me hai Dum !#BharatJaisiJagahNahi pic.twitter.com/BNaO1LBHLH — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 26, 2017 × He was referring to Kaur's earlier campaign in which she had said: "Pakistan did not kill my dad. War killed him." Sehwag's message sent the Twitterati into a frenzy, with the liberals in India, mockingly called 'sickulars' by the right-wingers, slamming the former cricketer for bullying Kaur. But Sehwag found support in Indian film actor Randeep Hooda, who felt that Kaur was being used as a "political pawn and a prop to spread hatred". The cricketer was also backed by the already angry right-wing who believe Kaur to be "anti-national" and have launched a no-holds-barred attack on her for speaking out against the violence in Ramjas College. (WION)

Sehwag's message against slain Kargil soldier's daughter splits opinion on Twitter

<p>Donald Trump is raising more concerns about conflict of interest after he hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his private club in Florida, Mar a-Lago.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A working dinner tonight with Prime Minister Abe of Japan, and his representatives, at the Winter White House (Mar-a-Lago). Very good talks!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/830558065715998726">February 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>While Trump said that he would pay the costs associated with Abe&#39;s stay, the president is using&nbsp;his position&nbsp;to promote his private club, which still generates for him personal income. <a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/Mar-a-Lago-Membership-Fee-Doubles-to-200000-411792155.html" target="_blank">NBC </a>reported that the resort doubled its initiation fee from $100,000 to $200,000 on January 25, days into his presidency.</p>

<p>Mentions of &quot;Mar a-Lago&quot; are included in official presidential communication, and no doubt will be played all over news stations across the world. His presidential communications&nbsp;are now essentially free advertising for his business. The regular activities of a president, like meeting other world leaders, are now&nbsp;generating personal income for Trump.</p>

<p>Anybody who pays the&nbsp;$200,000 fee can potentially have access to the president at an event.&nbsp;And even if there&#39;s no exchange with him, paying&nbsp;$200,000 that ultimately goes to a Trump company can only make a lobbyist more popular.</p>

<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Recent background</strong></p>

<p>Trump using the White House to promote his business is not new. That is literally what he did at the beginning of the month.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">V subtle view out the window here in this new Trump Hotels marketing email... <a href="https://t.co/ZtKmXDvPRq">pic.twitter.com/ZtKmXDvPRq</a></p>
&mdash; Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) <a href="https://twitter.com/gdebenedetti/status/826617289009152001">February 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Mar-a-Lago&nbsp;accusation comes after Trump and other members of his administration used their public profile to promote&nbsp;Ivanka Trump&#39;s clothing line after Nordstrom decided to stop selling&nbsp;it.</p>

<p>Trump himself used his Twitter feed to punish&nbsp;a public company for making a&nbsp;business decision that was well within their rights.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by <a href="https://twitter.com/Nordstrom">@Nordstrom</a>. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/829356871848951809">February 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Top Trump aide&nbsp;Kellyanne Conway was even more brazen,&nbsp;explicitly encouraging&nbsp;the public to buy Trump branded products. Appearing on the Fox And Friends TV show, Conway said: &quot;Go buy Ivanka&#39;s stuff, is what I would say. I hate shopping --I&#39;m going to buy stuff today.&quot; Later in the show she said, &quot;It&#39;s a wonderful line. I own some of it...I&#39;m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online.&quot;</p>

<p>Asked about these comments, which ethics experts criticized her heavily, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said, &quot;She has been counselled on that subject, and that&#39;s it&quot;.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><b>Only divesting is enough</b></p>

<p>Ethics experts have&nbsp;said that Trump&#39;s actions to supposedly prevent conflicts of interest fall very short of sufficient. Trump pledged not to make any new deals while President, and claims he has removed himself from day-to-day operations of his company. Critics say that so long as Trump continues to&nbsp;profit from his businesses, whether or not he makes the&nbsp;decisions is irrelevant. Anyway, his adult sons are in charge of the company, and have already sat in on meetings with world leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The &quot;Winter White House&quot; is far from the only case where Trump is using his public position to advance his personal income.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/02/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/">The Atlantic</a> catalogued no less than 31 &quot;clear-cut examples&quot; of other conflicts of interest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Whether or not he will escape&nbsp;legal consequences is&nbsp;unclear. Ever since his presidency began there have been petitions seeking to&nbsp;impeach Trump&nbsp;for violating the US constitution, particularly the &quot;<a href="http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/23/13715150/donald-trump-emoluments-clause-constitution" target="_blank">emoluments clause</a>&quot;. In&nbsp;the meantime, Trump is intent on using his position as a public servant in the White House&nbsp;to generate&nbsp;personal income.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Gurmehar Kaur's Facebook profile pic had her holding a placard that read: 'I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP'

Donald Trump is raising more concerns about conflict of interest after he hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at his private club in Florida, Mar a-Lago. A working dinner tonight with Prime Minister Abe of Japan, and his representatives, at the Winter White House (Mar-a-Lago). Very good talks! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2017 × While Trump said that he would pay the costs associated with Abe's stay, the president is using his position to promote his private club, which still generates for him personal income. NBC reported that the resort doubled its initiation fee from $100,000 to $200,000 on January 25, days into his presidency. Mentions of "Mar a-Lago" are included in official presidential communication, and no doubt will be played all over news stations across the world. His presidential communications are now essentially free advertising for his business. The regular activities of a president, like meeting other world leaders, are now generating personal income for Trump. Anybody who pays the $200,000 fee can potentially have access to the president at an event. And even if there's no exchange with him, paying $200,000 that ultimately goes to a Trump company can only make a lobbyist more popular. Recent background Trump using the White House to promote his business is not new. That is literally what he did at the beginning of the month. V subtle view out the window here in this new Trump Hotels marketing email... pic.twitter.com/ZtKmXDvPRq — Gabriel Debenedetti (@gdebenedetti) February 1, 2017 × The Mar-a-Lago accusation comes after Trump and other members of his administration used their public profile to promote Ivanka Trump's clothing line after Nordstrom decided to stop selling it. Trump himself used his Twitter feed to punish a public company for making a business decision that was well within their rights. My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person -- always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017 × Top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway was even more brazen, explicitly encouraging the public to buy Trump branded products. Appearing on the Fox And Friends TV show, Conway said: "Go buy Ivanka's stuff, is what I would say. I hate shopping --I'm going to buy stuff today." Later in the show she said, "It's a wonderful line. I own some of it...I'm going to give a free commercial here. Go buy it today, everybody. You can find it online." Asked about these comments, which ethics experts criticized her heavily, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said, "She has been counselled on that subject, and that's it". Only divesting is enough Ethics experts have said that Trump's actions to supposedly prevent conflicts of interest fall very short of sufficient. Trump pledged not to make any new deals while President, and claims he has removed himself from day-to-day operations of his company. Critics say that so long as Trump continues to profit from his businesses, whether or not he makes the decisions is irrelevant. Anyway, his adult sons are in charge of the company, and have already sat in on meetings with world leaders. The "Winter White House" is far from the only case where Trump is using his public position to advance his personal income. The Atlantic catalogued no less than 31 "clear-cut examples" of other conflicts of interest. Whether or not he will escape legal consequences is unclear. Ever since his presidency began there have been petitions seeking to impeach Trump for violating the US constitution, particularly the "emoluments clause". In the meantime, Trump is intent on using his position as a public servant in the White House to generate personal income. (WION)

Slain Kargil soldier's daughter's post condemning ABVP goes viral

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