Gurmehar Kaur withdraws from protest march

Kaur has urged everyone to let her be left alone.

"I'm withdrawing from the campaign. Congratulations everyone. I request to be left alone. I said what I had to say," she tweeted.

"I have been through a lot and this is all my 20 year self could take :)," she said.

The student further said: "The campaign is about students and not about me. Please go to the March in huge numbers. Best of luck."

Amid a political slugfest centring around her, Kaur on Monday lodged a complaint with the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on the rape and death threats she received on social media after launching online campaign against ABVP, the student wing of the BJP.

According to reports,  DCW chief Swati Maliwal said the police must take action against those  who had issued threat to Gurmehar, daughter of Captain Mandeep Singh, a Kargil war martyr.

As the campaign by Gurmehar went viral, political bigwigs of opposing parties were in the scene trading charges against one another.

The controversy did not even spare former test cricketer Virendra Shehwag, who tweeted mockingly at Gurmehar.

Kaur's Twitter page picture shows her holding a placard which reads: "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."

She had earlier posted a video where in one of the placards she is holding urged for peace between India and Pakistan.

According to media reports, one of them read: " "Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him."

Kaur launched the campaign after the last week's violence at Delhi University's Ramjas College involving ABVP supporters, who had protested Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid being invited in a seminar.

The ABVP had dubbed Khalid an "anti-national."

In response to Kaur's online protest campaign, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju asked, "Who's polluting this young girl's mind?"

"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," Rijiju tweeted.

His  comment drew flak from the opposition, with Congress dubbing the remark as "patriarchal".

Protesting Kaur's posts, the ABVP held a 'Tiranga Rally' in the Delhi University's North Campus. They also demonstrated against the All India Students Association (AISA) "for shouting anti-India slogans".

Defending Kaur, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on said, ” against tyranny of fear we stand with our students. For every voice raised in anger, intolerance and ignorance there’ll be a Gurmehar.”

Image: Gurmehar Kaur Twitter page