Javed Akhtar Says Gurmehar Kaur Trolled By 'Hardly Literate Player, Wrestler'

New Delhi: Poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar has weighed in on the controversy over 20-year-old Gurmehar Kaur's remarks, criticising wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and cricketer Virender Sehwag who were seen as trolling her. His tweet, slamming them as "hardly literate player, wrestler", however, has triggered a fresh storm, with hundreds rushing in to defend the two sportspersons and slamming the author who was honoured with a Padma Shri in 1999.

Ms Kaur, the 20-year-old daughter of a soldier, is being trolled relentlessly and was threatened with rape after she posted a message protesting against the BJP-linked student body ABVP. Even an earlier Facebook post from her, that said her father had been killed by war and not Pakistan, drew vicious criticism.   

Mr Akhtar's tweet, which triggered a fresh controversy, read:
 

If a hardly literate player or a wrestler troll a pacifist daughter of a martyr its understandable but whats wrong with some educated folks

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 28, 2017

Cricket icon Mr Sehwag, who had earlier posted his photo, holding a placard which read "I did not score two triple centuries, my bat did", today said "it was not intended for Gurmehar". "My tweet wasn't intended for Gurmehar. It was plain fun but people construed the other way," he told India Today.

Olympic medallist Yogeshwar Dutt had also made his position clear with a tweet:
 

pic.twitter.com/SiH90ouWee

— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) February 28, 2017

 
Soon after Mr Akhtar's tweet, Mr Dutt replied. His tweet, in Hindi, said, "Sir, you may have written poetry and stories, but I have also made history for India on the world stage".

As Mr Akhtar's tweet got 1,200 replies -- most of them something less than complimentary -- the former Rajya Sabha member hit back with another tweet:
 

Mr minister , you have condemned the left by falsely accusing them for celebrating soldiers killing n not a word about AVBP. Grossly biased

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 28, 2017

This one was directed at Union minister Kiren Rijiju, who had said that Ms Kaur's mind was being "polluted" and later clarified that the remark was directed against Leftists.

Both of Mr Akhtar's tweets drew a barrage of criticism.
 

Okk so now to defend that girl @Javedakhtarjadu is insulting our sportsperson, pride of our Nation who represented India at Intl level pic.twitter.com/qnpsFGpGpf

— Humor Silly - HMP (@Humor_Silly) February 28, 2017

 

@Javedakhtarjadu Are you undermining their achievements just because they had a contrarian view and calling them names.

#Shame

— Dr Shobha (@DrShobha) February 28, 2017

 

So @Javedakhtarjadu sahab, a hardly literate Indian or a human being has right to live, right to freedom..or this rule also applies to them?

— Paresh Rawal fan (@Babu_Bhaiyaa) February 28, 2017

There has been a barrage of allegations on Twitter that Ms Kaur had been using her father's martyrdom to launch herself on a political career.  Her remarks that she was even issued rape threats for her views brought her even more criticism. Today the Delhi University student pulled out of the "DU Against Goondagardi (hooliganism)" protest that is being held at the campus, saying she has "been through a lot" and this was all that her "20 year self could take".