Ramjas College row intensifies; AAP and BJP engage in political slugfest

An AAP delegation comprising party’s women leaders met with Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik and demanded arrest of ABVP members for allegedly issuing rape threats to DU student Gurmehar Kaur.

The delegation led by senior party leader Atishi Marlena, legislators Alka Lamba (Chandni Chowk) and Sarita Singh (Rohtas Nagar) also asked the police to take cognisance of alleged attacks on women “under the garb of nationalism”.

It also accused the Delhi Police of failing to protect women and said the law-enforcing agency has always “let them down”.

Two Delhi University students  have filed PIL in Delhi High Court seeking action against policemen who had allegedly assaulted students and journalists during Ramjas protest.

“Rape threats cannot be an acceptable form of political discourse. We need to ensure that the BJP and ABVP don’t legitimise it and get away with unacceptable antics. The rape threats issued by ABVP are yet another systematic assault on women.

“The Delhi Police since the time of the horrific Nirbhaya rape incident has been a repeat offender when it comes to protecting and enshrining the rights of women. Women have always been let down by the Delhi Police,” the delegation said in its memorandum, which was handed over to Patnaik.

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20-year-old Gurmehar Kaur, who showed courage to raise voice with her social media campaign against ABVP, withdrew from the DU student march planned, saying she has shown enough courage and wants to be left alone.

Kaur who is in the eye of a storm is the daughter of Kargil martyr Captain Mandeep Sing. Singh was martyred when a Rashtriya Rifles Camp came under militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir in 1999. Six other soldiers had lost their lives in defending the camp.