Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Rahul Gandhi Urges Pune Students to Smash Patriarchy
Rahul Gandhi spoke with women students at an event in Pune.
He said girls should be able to study, work and make their own choices.
He told them they should not be defined only as daughters, wives or mothers.
Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for saying that girls using bad language was a “cultural shock.”
He said boys had also used bad language but were not criticised in the same way.
He called this an unfair double standard.
Students described problems such as harassment, unsafe conditions, money troubles and unfair exams.
Gandhi said women should have their own identities and control over their lives.
He asked the students to work together to challenge patriarchy.
Rahul Gandhi urged women students at Pune’s Chhatron Ki Goonj event to “smash patriarchy” and build independent identities.
He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling girls’ abusive language during a Jantar Mantar protest a “cultural shock.”
Gandhi said boys and girls both used abusive language, but girls were judged more harshly.
He linked restrictions on women to what he called a Manusmriti-influenced mindset that limits women’s freedom and opportunities.
Students raised concerns about harassment, safety, education, exam irregularities, tribal schooling and hunger strikes.
- Who
- Congress leader and Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi addressed women students; Prime Minister Narendra Modi was criticised over comments about the protest.
- What
- Gandhi urged students to oppose patriarchy, criticised alleged double standards toward girls, and discussed violence, economic control and denied opportunities.
- When
- The event was held on a Saturday; Modi’s referenced Instagram post was dated July 31. A COEP clash occurred on the preceding Friday, according to one report.
- Where
- The Chhatron Ki Goonj programme took place at SSPMS Ground in Pune, Maharashtra; the referenced student protest was at Jantar Mantar.
- Why
- Gandhi said patriarchal attitudes restrict women’s identities, safety, education, employment and independence.
Gandhi’s criticism
Modi’s stated concern
Different standards for abusive language
Gandhi’s criticism
Gandhi argued that boys and girls both used abusive language during the Jantar Mantar protest, but describing girls’ language as a “cultural shock” reflected a patriarchal double standard.
Modi’s stated concern
Modi’s referenced Instagram post expressed shock at hearing girls use abusive language and said he had forgiven the students for the insults.
Women’s roles and independence
Gandhi’s criticism
Gandhi said women should not be confined, controlled or defined only by their relationships with fathers, husbands or sons. He urged them to study, work and establish independent identities.
Modi’s stated concern
The articles do not provide a direct response from Modi or the BJP to Gandhi’s broader claims about patriarchy and the Manusmriti mindset.
Interpretation of social restrictions
Gandhi’s criticism
Gandhi attributed restrictive attitudes toward women to a mindset associated with the Manusmriti and said such attitudes deny women freedom and opportunities.
Modi’s stated concern
Gandhi also cited past comments attributed to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and former Haryana Chief Minister M. L. Khattar, but the articles do not include their responses to his interpretation.
- Event
- The fourth edition of Chhatron Ki Goonj was held in Pune and was exclusively for women, according to The Telegraph India.
- Main message
- Gandhi urged women to “smash patriarchy,” “break the cage,” and build their own identities.
- Disputed remark
- Modi’s July 31 Instagram post described hearing girls use abusive language during the Jantar Mantar protests as a “cultural shock” and said he had forgiven the students for the insults.
- Gandhi’s criticism
- Gandhi said boys and girls both used abusive language, but girls were singled out for criticism.
- Issues raised
- Students discussed sexual harassment, personal safety, financial barriers to education, MPSC re-examination demands and tribal students’ concerns.
- Gandhi’s claims
- He cited figures including 4.5 lakh female foeticides annually, 80% of women encountering harassment, 29% facing physical violence and 84% needing family permission for employment.
- Separate Pune incident
- ABVP and NSUI members reportedly clashed at a COEP Technological University hostel, after which a case was registered against about 50 Youth Congress activists.
