Are Gurmehar Kaur’s views anti-nationalistic?

Are Gurmehar Kaur’s views anti-nationalistic?

The ABVP clash in Delhi University is surely something that needs attention and serious pondering on where politics is taking students, affecting them largely and taking their life to a whole different direction. Amid all the hullabaloo where ABVP got violent with the students of DU in an attempt to stop an event in which controversial speaker Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid were about to speak, a 20 years old Gurmehar Kaur stole the limelight with a simple tweet in which she said that she wasn’t afraid of ABVP.

Gurmehar kaur is the daughter of a soldier martyred during the Kargil war. Soon her one year old video message of peace between India and Pakistan started doing rounds and in a day she was labelled anti-national. She was trolled incessantly on Twitter. Celebs like Sehwag and Randeep Hooda took jibes at her while the others came out to show support. Are her views actually that of an anti-national?

No

1. Her views are different

Having a difference in opinion shouldn’t make someone anti-national. It is unfortunate to see that in recent times, it only takes a few words of peace, wisdom and solidarity to label someone as an anti-national. And this has been happening quite often. You are not supposed to agree always. You can differ with her opinion just as she differs with yours.

2. She broke her silence and we decided to send her back

A young woman in the patriarchal society that we live in is not supposed to have an opinion on politics. She is just supposed to blindly agree with what is being passed around. She spoke about her loss and how she feels no one, Indian or Pakistani should face the same. She spoke about the memories of her life without her father. And all we cared about is the one slogan – “Pakistan did not kill my father, war killed him.”

3. Do we want war?

Thousands killed on both sides, innocent children losing life and future, crippled history to live with and a controversy of who started the war is not something anyone of us would want to live with. That is all she tried to convey.

4. Daring to speak up

Being threatened for rape, being bullied for her views, being trolled by illiterate yet prominent figures of society just for having an opinion is more than what a 20 years old is capable of bearing. The daring voice of the future of our nation that wants peace being silenced in this way shows the kind of leadership we have. She wasn’t wrong to say that our leadership is that of a third world nation.

5. Who did she hurt?

Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and Phogat sisters lashed out at Gurmehar for hurting the sentiments of the pro nationalists. What in her tweets was so hurtful to anyone is yet to be understood. They said that if you speak against the nation you won’t be spared. What did she say against the nation? Calling for peace makes her anti-national?

6. Making her quit

Few months back the Dangal actress was trolled, instilled with fear and made to apologize for no mistake of her. She was afraid of terrorists and extremists. The same is being done with Kaur. She is now afraid of politicians, cricketer, actor, wrestler and women who are supposed to be idols of female empowerment. She has decided to quit the campaign, asked everyone to leave her alone and is about to leave the city. Congratulations, hate mongers, you win!

Yes

1. Going soft on Pakistan

If you are soft on Pakistan, apparently it is assumed that you are disrespecting the martyrs and the soldiers who are victims of the country. You cannot say Pakistan did not kill them, they did, they always have and they always will. They are sponsors of terrorism and that cannot be ignored. Peace talks do not work on their leaders. People across the borders could be as innocent as us but theirs is not a democracy where words of peace will work.

2. India has always gone soft on them

We never initiated. We only retaliated. That is the reason why Pakistan took our silence for our weakness and the terror attacks continued. War doesn’t start on its own. A country is responsible for instilling hatred and violence which leads to war.

3. Using for political purpose

She had an opinion which she expressed. Others, especially celebs had their own and they sought humour to express them. Why not accept their opinion too? Why did she have to react the way she did on the remarks of Sehwag which was clearly not meant to prove her an anti-national?

Gurmehar kaur and her views on DU or Indo-Pak relations are not anti-national in any way. The people trolling her are more insecure and bound by hatred than the 20 years old who chose not to hate the other country. Hatred and war cannot bring anything but destruction.