The issue of violence at Ramjas College and rape threats to Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur rocked the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday.
Aam Aadmi Party played a video clip featuring Gurmehar Kaur on record in the House to back its attack on RSS-linked ABVP, prompting Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta to oppose it.
Interestingly, the instance (playing a video clip on record of any House) is understood to be first in the legislative history of India.
Last year, AAP minister Kapil Mishra had played an audio recording over his phone of an alleged case of “snooping”.
Initiating a short discussion, AAP legislator Alka Lamba today alleged Ramjas assaults and Gurmehar controversy was another example of how under a “conspiracy” students were being “targeted” for speaking their mind if they refuse to toe the line of the right wing extremists.
“Gurmehar’s fault was to raise voice against RSS’ goondagardi (hooliganism),” she said.
Lamba said like Hyderabad Central University where Rohith Vermula, a Dalit PhD scholar, was pushed to suicide and JNU where few Left-leaning students were “dubbed” “anti-nationals”, Ramjas College witnessed “yet another instance of hooliganism” of RSS-affiliated ABVP.
Lamba also criticised Gurmehar’s detractors, including Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.
Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta opposition to the playing of the video was overruled by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel.
Goel said soldiers’ morale goes down due to such remarks by traitors.
In response, Water Minister Kapil Misra retorted saying soldiers morale goes down when a martyr’s daughter is threatened with rape, a soldier demanding OROP commits suicide and soldiers posting a video demanding proper meals.
Launching a scathing attack on the RSS and the ABVP, he noted the politics of finding traitors within the country should come to an end.
On the playing of a video during a session of the Delhi Assembly, a senior official said, "Times are changing. The Speaker examined the content and found nothing objectionable in the video.
“There was nothing unparliamentary and he had watched the clip in advance that was related to something being discussed in the House."
