New Age Activists

                            I was waiting for the election results to be declared before indulging myself into writing about the latest slugfest that’s the center of attraction to our over enthusiastic media nowadays. After Kanhaiya, a young woman named Gurmehar Kaur is hogging the limelight and has become proverbial Apple of leftists eyes, for same reason of scuttling “Freedom of speech” that made Kanhaiya infamous . What made her catapult to the celebrity status is her fathers martyrdom during Army operations 10 days after Kargil. She posted messages on social media as a martyr’s daughter, displaying courage (holding placards) and denouncing ABVP and supporting the cause of freedom to speak.

                            It was courageous of her to openly accuse one political outfit for creating ruckus in campus, but there was something amiss, as one couldn’t understand why she didn’t accuse the other political organizations for creating mayhem or is she oblivious to violence acts of leftists organizations? One isn’t sure, if she’s so naive of campus politics or purposefully pardoned leftists of violence while came harshly on right wing organization. She brilliantly used her fathers sacrifice to legitimize and draw an emotional chord with people to impeach ABVP, her credentials were tempting and thus was lapped up by Left-leaning media who turned her stint into gospel truth prevalent on campus.

                          If Gurmehar stood for free speech then it should have to be praised wholeheartedly, but claiming to be neutral while blatantly exonerating violent left wing organizations was liable to be taken to task.

                               Meantime another video of hers started circulating where she again valiantly defied the popular opinion towards arch rival Pakistan. Here , she was seen holding placard that read “Pakistan did not kill my dad, War killed him”. It was a noble gesture on  her part , where she was propagating for peace but unfortunately some twitterati started trolling her and twisted the whole episode into joke. I must say it was soar joke on part of some, to trivialize the tragic death into a standup comic strip. After watching her full video, one can say, girl stood for peace between two nations and without drawing into politics one should try and understand the human aspect of her outpouring of emotions.

                                  With increasing penetration of social media people seems to be getting restless in putting their opinions in public domain , a near stampede to bully and brandish one’s nationalism or smudging people as ‘Anti- Nationals’ or ‘Sanghi’ is actualy dwarfing the space to speak your mind without being mocked. People confronted the message of Peace, twisted facts, with backstabbing and accused her of playing to the gallery. The smearing campaign was intense and someone (allegedly) threatened her with rape which was not only ghastly but unacceptable in any civilized society. While , its true that Pakistan is the harbinger of terrorism and initiated all wars with India and it has backstabbed us on more then one occasion but isn’t peace between nuclear rivals should be our ultimate goal? Doesn’t Modi ji invited Pakistani PM for oath taking ceremony was in good faith?

                               Peaceful coexistence should be our ultimate goal, at the same time nation should always be prepared to defend against the warring enemy and willing to sacrifice whatever it needs , otherwise nation will lose not only its men and material but it’s very ‘existence’, its freedom , thus harping on to the idea of peace is factually inappropriate if the aggressor is unrelentingly pursuing to inflict irreparable damage to your nation. Peace unlike war can’t be imposed or affirmed by one side only, it takes two to tango.

                           In my opinion, Gurmehar is an intelligent girl who speaks her mind , also has lust to grab attention as many people have.The Gurmehar episode was fervently latched on to by politicians who seized the opportunity to blemish incumbent government during impeding elections for political mileage. In her zeal to target ABVP, she exposed her political affiliations and thus ruined her claims of neutrality and concerned innocent student, raising voice against injustice (alleged), people considered her act as hogwash and deliberate attempt to conceal and divert public opinion from “Bharat tere tukde” gang operational at JNU & DU . Her partisan political statements were thereafter confronted by many. Social media like any other has its limitations, if one uses it then should be prepared to face the wrath of trolls and cannot for long play the victim card.

*Photos - Courtesy Google
You can write to me at- garv560@gmail.com