New Delhi, March 2 (IANS): The "vicious attack" on Delhi University student Gurmehar Kaur has "exposed the real nature of the nationalism the Sangh Parivar espouses", the CPI-M has said.

"Gurmehar came forth as a courageous young woman who is prepared to stand up to the communal hate and jingoism of the RSS and its outfits like the ABVP," CPI-M journal People's Democracy said in an editorial.

The editorial said the Sangh Parivar supposedly reveres "martyrs" of the Indian Army. 

"But Gurmehar became the target of a hate campaign as she had earlier talked of not hating Pakistan and Muslims and espousing the cause of peace between India and Pakistan. 

"Even ministers like Kiren Rijiju and (M.) Venkaiah Naidu joined the campaign in Twitter against her," it said. 

Gurmehar had to leave Delhi for Punjab after her social media campaign against the RSS student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad triggered death and rape threats.

The CPI-M also said the violence blamed on the ABVP at Ramjas College in Delhi University "is part of the pattern of aggressive efforts by the ABVP in various campuses to intimidate and browbeat those opposed to the imposition of the Hindutva ideology and their brand of Hindu nationalism".