In his letter, the Rajya Sabha member assures Gurmehar of his support for youth activism, and panned the alleged threats of rape and violence she elicited after raising her voice against violence on university campus.

“I consider it unacceptable that anyone in this great nation of ours would think of anything other than only protecting and supporting you and your family, let alone put you through the harassment and threats of the kind you have been put through in recent days by some on social media. Let me assure you of my complete commitment to your total safety and to your right to speak your mind. That commitment is unambiguous and total,” Chandrasekhar wrote in the letter.

In response to Gurmehar’s controversial video in which she’s seen bearing a placard which reads, “Pakistan did not kill my dad, war killed him”, Chandrasekhar said the bid for peace with Pakistan wasn’t so easily achievable.

“While I also share your desire for peace, peace doesn’t come from simply desiring it, especially with Pakistan. We (both Indians and Pakistanis) must cause the Pakistan state to change its state policy of supporting terror, and do so by using all possible options, and not simply begging or pleading for peace,” he said.Chandrasekhar also had a few words of wisdom for Gurmehar, in case she ever desired to venture into politics.Following the clashes between RSS-backed ABVP and students at DU’s Ramjas College last month, Gurmehar launched the #StudentsAgainstABVP campaign after she posted an image of herself on Facebook with a placard reading “I’m not afraid of ABVP”. The campaign rapidly went viral with students across the country posting similar photos of themselves on social media.