Jhanvi Behal trended on Twitter yesterday after she challenged Kanhaiya Kumar for a debate.
The arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, leader at Jawaharlal Nehru University or JNU, may have catapulted him into an icon of the right to free speech, but a student much younger than him feels he's markedly undeserving of that status.
Jhanvi Behal, 15, from Ludhiana, wants to have words with him. Challenging Mr Kumar to a "debate at any time time, any place", she said on NDTV today, "Mr Kanhaiya Ji, if you have so much mojo, go guard our borders and then talk of patriotism".
Mr Kumar is 28. He was arrested on charges of sedition last month after attending a campus event which attacked the government on a variety of issues including the hanging, under the previous government, of Afzal Guru, convicted as a terrorist. Mr Kumar has denied making anti-India remarks; video footage that was shared by the police claiming the opposite
has emerged as doctored, turning his narrative into one that's been internationally relayed.
"You are supporting terrorists," Ms Behal said to Mr Kumar via NDTV today about his perceived support for Afzal Guru. Mr Kumar has denied accusations that he equated the hanged Kashmiri with heroism at the controversial JNU event that was followed by his arrest.
Mr Kumar, who was released on bail last week, heads a left-affiliated students union at his university has reiterated his opposition to the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has irked Ms Behal, who is a student at the DAV School in Ludhiana. On Republic Day, the teen was acknowledged by the PM for her contribution to one of his pet schemes, encouraging citizens to lead efforts to clean up cities. "He is the best PM," she said this morning, caveating that she would have opposed Mr Kumar "even if another PM were in charge of the country."
Ms Behal trended on Twitter yesterday after she first took on Mr Kumar. "Yes, that feels amazing," she said, for once sounding like the 15-year-old that she is.