Meet Kanupriya, A Student Leader Who Is Receiving Death Threats

Kanupriya, a 23-year-old student had created history by becoming the first woman president after Panjab University’s students’ council elections last year. But, now she is receiving death threats from offenders. Why is she the latest victim of death threats? A prominent student leader, Kanupriya caught attention recently voicing her concerns over Narendra Modi government’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Kanupriya was speaking at an event organised by Dal Khalsa and other Sikh organisations in Punjab’s Amritsar district, on the eve of India’s Independence Day last week. As a result, this Panjab University (PU) former president protested against the government’s August 5 move to scrape Article 370, keeping forth an argument that how can the government suppress the voice of Kashmiris. And why should they not have right to self-determination, after which she found herself in the midst of death threats and abuse.

She alleged that youth linked to the BJP and its student’s wing ABVP has been sending her threats. An FIR has been registered with the Senior Superintendent of Police in Chandigarh. The complaint claims that threats like “shoot her” and “shoot at sight” were posted against her on a social media platform.

Key Takeaways:

• PU former president Kanupriya spoke up against government’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status
• Kanupriya now faces abuse and death threats over Article 370
• She exposed the youth claiming that they are linked to the BJP and its student’s wing ABVP

However, the complaint didn't help much since Kanupriya continues to face abuse and hate on social media platforms

But Kanupriya is a strong personality who did not fear to expose the bullies on her Facebook page. She named each of the offenders, and still awaits justice.

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Who is Kanupriya?

Kanupriya's name was in the headlines when she becoming the first woman president after the Panjab University’s students’ council elections last year. She went against and confidently defeated five male candidates that were fielded by Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Panjab University Students Union (PUSU), Students Organisation of India (SOI), Punjab Students Union (Lalkaar) and National Students Union of India (NSUI). Kanupriya belongs to the left-leaning student wing Students for Society (SFS). Before her, a few years ago, PU was dominated by male student leaders. Kanupriya broke that wheel.

“The discourse had started changing last year. The view that a woman cannot be president of the student council has been thrown out of the window. Yesterday night, we held a rally with 400 girl students. It is a change in itself,” girl students had said about Kanupriya’s victory last year.

Read:Meet Inshah Bashir, Kashmir’s First Woman Wheelchair Basketball Player

Congratulations Punjab University on electing your first female president! My heart soaaaars with pride.

— Gurmehar Kaur (@mehartweets) September 6, 2018

Born to businessman father Pawan Kumar and mother Chandar Sudha Rani, a nurse, Kanupriya completed her schooling from Sacred Heart Convent School, Taran Tarn. She joined the Zoology department at Panjab University in 2014 and last year, she was pursuing MSc (second year). Ravinder Kaur, a student of the department of English, said, “On Thursday evening, girl students who had voted for other candidates said they should have voted for Kanupriya. Her victory brought a sense of sisterhood among the girls on campus.”

During the PU elections, Kanupriya got 2,802 votes compared to her nearest rival Rana, who is from the University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), registered 2,083 votes.

Lovepreet Kaur, a student of the department of public administration, said, “Now, more and more girl students will step into politics. They will know that they do not need to depend on male leaders to bring up their issues.”

Priya Garg, a student of the department of chemistry, said, “We are in majority on the campus, but we have not found representation in the real sense. Only a woman can understand the problems faced by a woman.”

Kanupriya said, “Girls were so overwhelmed with my victory, they kept coming to me and suggested so many ideas. It felt as if they were waiting for this day. They wish their issues will be addressed.”

Feature Image Credit: Student For Society SFS/Facebook

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