Rahul Gandhi Labels RSS "All-Male Cult", BJP Calls His Remarks Childish

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's sharp attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has triggered a political firestorm and invited a strong retort from the BJP.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Gandhi called the RSS an "all-male anti-constitutional cult" and alleged that the Sangh treated women as subordinate to men.

"The RSS is an all-male anti-constitutional cult that believes women are the property of men," he posted on X.

Gandhi added that he enjoys fighting the RSS and also claimed that many of the Sangh's "own" women were also with him.

"I believe in Shiva-Shakti. That's why it gives me such joy to fight them. What's beautiful is that many of their 'own' women are on my side," Gandhi wrote.

The RSS is an al male anti-constitutional cult that believes women are the property of men. I believe in Shiva-Shakti. That's why it gives me such joy to fight them. What's beautiful is that many of their “own” women are on my side.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 20, 2026

Launching an attack on Gandhi over his comments, BJP MLA in Maharashtra Ram Kadam called him ill-informed and pointed out that the RSS has a functional women's wing.

"Rahul Gandhi frequently makes remarks about the RSS. While he certainly has the right to engage in political accusations, counter-accusations, and sharp criticism, he should do so only after proper study. Is he unaware that the RSS also has a wing for women? It operates across the entire country, and women work within it with the same level of prominence as men," Kadam said.

He added that such "childish" comments do not befit a Leader of the Opposition.

Telangana BJP chief N Ramchander Rao asked Rahul Gandhi how many women have got positions of prominence within his own party.

"Rahul Gandhi seems to be forgetting how male-dominated his party is. Wherever they are ruling, let him answer how many women chief ministers there are. BJP has got a woman chief minister in the capital," Rao asked.

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He also raised the issue of women's reservation, which he accused the Congress of blocking.

"If you are not anti-women, why don't you support 33% women reservation with delimitation?"

Hitting out at the silence of the party on the issue of its MP who has been sacked from JNU over allegations of sexual misconduct, the BJP leader asked what the Congress has done in the case.

"What action have you taken against your own MP who has been suspended and removed from service in JNU over a sexual harassment case? This is a hypocritical stance of the Congress party."

Rahul Gandhi has been regularly attacking the RSS on the issue of gender.

Earlier in August, while addressing his youth outreach programme, 'Chhatron Ki Goonj', in Pune, Gandhi attacked the Manusmriti over its anti-women and patriarchal teachings, raising the "Smash The Patriarchy" slogan.

Later, in response, the BJP questioned his understanding of Indian scriptures and dismissed the Pune event as PR.