1 week ago
Rahul Gandhi Urges Women to Smash Patriarchy at Pune Event
Rahul Gandhi spoke with young women at an event in Pune.
He said women should be able to make their own choices.
He argued that being a daughter, wife, or mother should not be a woman’s only identity.
He criticized a passage from the Manusmriti that says women should be controlled by male relatives.
He called this way of thinking a form of patriarchy.
Gandhi said women face physical violence, money-related problems, and lost chances to study or work.
He also said girls should be treated as fairly as boys.
Some students told him about problems with exams, tribal schools, and safety.
He encouraged the students to be confident and “smash patriarchy.”
Rahul Gandhi addressed girl students at the Chhatron Ki Goonj programme in Pune on Saturday.
He said women belong to themselves and should not be defined only as daughters, wives, or mothers.
Gandhi called a Manusmriti passage placing women under male relatives’ authority “shameful.”
He described physical, economic, and opportunity-related violence as barriers facing women.
Students raised concerns about exam malpractices, tribal education, and a hunger strike in Pune.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, addressed girl students and heard from student representatives.
- What
- He criticized patriarchal restrictions and violence against women, called a cited Manusmriti passage “shameful,” and urged women to assert their independence.
- Where
- The Chhatron Ki Goonj event at the Shri Shivaji Preparatory Military School College Ground in Pune.
- When
- Saturday; PTI identified the dateline as August 22, but the year was not specified.
- Why
- The session was intended to hear young people’s views and discuss education, safety, discrimination, social restrictions, and other concerns.
Key facts
- Event
- Chhatron Ki Goonj, a student outreach programme with a women-focused session
- Main message
- Gandhi said women belong to themselves and should be free to pursue their own goals.
- Manusmriti criticism
- He called shameful the cited prescription that women should remain under the authority of their fathers, husbands, and sons.
- Three forms of violence
- Gandhi identified physical violence, denial of opportunities, and economic violence.
- Statistics cited
- He cited approximately 4.5 lakh female foeticides annually, about 80 per cent of women facing harassment, around 29-30 per cent facing physical violence, and six per cent facing rape or sexual violence.
- Opportunity concerns
- He claimed about half of women forgo education or employment because of safety concerns; another report also quoted claims involving family permission, marriage, and domestic responsibilities.
- Student concerns
- Students raised issues involving an MPSC paper leak and re-examination, a tribal hunger strike at Manjari, and conditions in tribal ashram schools.
Quotes
Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
“You belong to nobody, except yourself. You have a relationship with your father, brother, husband, your son, but you do not belong to them, and you belong to yourself.”
theprint.in
“Together we have to finish this patriarchy — smash the patriarchy! And my message to you, simple message: Be loud, be proud, and fight for your space in society.”
theprint.in
Sources
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