- Rahul Gandhi urged women to fight patriarchy and embrace their independence at Pune event
- He criticised Manusmriti for restricting women to roles defined by men
- Gandhi highlighted violence and discrimination statistics against women in India
Be loud, be proud and fight for your space in society was Rahul Gandhi's "simple message" to women, exhorting them to "smash the patriarchy" while criticising the "Manusmriti mindset", inviting sharp reactions from the BJP.
The Congress leader placed women, whom he called India's biggest strength, at the core of his message at an event in Pune, telling them they belong to no one except themselves.
"I want you to remember one thing that every single one of you is unique in this universe. If I was to look for any one of you, I will not be able to find a replica of that person. You are unique, you are special, you are individual and you have your own dream, your own vision for your life. Am I right or am I wrong?" Gandhi, who traded his white T-shirts for a bright yellow half-sleeved button-down shirt, said while addressing the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Pune.
"Yes," the largely women crowd roared back.
"You are this country's foundation, its future. Patriarchy crushes you, frightens you, controls you. We must work together to dismantle this patriarchy. Smash the patriarchy. My message to you, a simple message: be loud, be proud and fight for your space in society," he exhorted the women.
Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said women are put in three boxes: as a daughter, as a wife or as a mother, underscoring that they only belong to themselves.
"Whenever I speak to a man, women are put in three boxes: as a daughter, as a wife or as a mother, nothing wrong with it. But this cannot be your only identity. It cannot be. We have brilliant women and the only identity that they are given by our men is these three and notice that every single one of those identities has a relationship with a man," he said.
The Congress leader then quoted from Manusmriti, a Hindu text containing laws that formed the basis of societal organisation and the judicial system of ancient India, critiquing it for confining women to restrictive roles.
"And I'd like to quote over here from the Manusmriti. In childhood a female must be subject to her father, in youth she belongs to her husband, when her lord is dead, she belongs to her sons. A woman must never be independent. This is a direct quote from the Manusmriti. These words are a shame because these words should never ever have been spoken. The biggest strength of this country is the fact that our women should be independent, should stand for themselves, should believe in themselves. You belong to nobody. You do not belong to anybody, except yourself," Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi's selfie moment at Chhatron Ki Goonj event in Pune
Taking exception to Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Manusmriti, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged him to read up on puranas to understand the text.
"A society that forgets its ancestors has no future; unfortunately, by forsaking India's traditions and values and succumbing to delusion, a mission has been undertaken to conspire against India. If you want to know about Manusmriti, read the Atharvaveda and the Matsya Purana; you will find all the information there," Yogi Adityanath said.
Violence is used in society to prevent women from progressing, Rahul Gandhi said, citing various statistics about crimes against women and the discrimination they face. He listed "three forms of violence against women -- physical violence, violence through denial of opportunities, economic violence".
Rahul Gandhi pointed out the various statistics about crimes against women and the discrimination they face
Gandhi said 4.5 lakh female foeticides take place every year, 80 per cent of women encounter harassment, 29 per cent endure physical violence, and 6 per cent face rape. He claimed 99 per cent of incidents of sexual violence are not reported because of social stigma. He also claimed that 84 per cent of women need their family's permission to take up employment.
The Congress leader said if you go around asking what's India's biggest strength, answers will range from "our economy, our people, our military, our medical system, our people", but he believes it's women and then explained how.
Rahul Gandhi with women at Chhatron Ki Goonj event in Pune
"I am very clear on what is India's biggest strength, our biggest asset and that strength is 70 crore unique journeys, unique imaginations , unique dreams that the women of India are living. Someone might say well there are 70 crore men, how do you say that 70 crore women are more important. What is your logic? My logic is the following. Women are by nature more sensitive, more gentle, more compassionate, and more forward-looking than men. And that is why I believe fundamentally that India's women - young, old - are India's biggest asset," he said.
Gandhi played a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi referring to abusive language used by girls during the agitation at Jantar Mantar over paper leaks and wondering how "daughters" could use such language, calling it a cultural shock.
The Congress leader said both boys and girls had used abusive language at Jantar Mantar, but the Prime Minister said he felt a cultural shock because girls used such a language.
If boys abuse, there is no problem and it is allowed, but if a girl abuses, it is a cultural shock, the Congress leader commented.
He also referred to an old statement by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat that rape happens in "India" and not in "Bharat", and former Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar's alleged comment that 80 per cent of rapes happen because of women.
"So this is a mindset, and this fight is against this mindset," Gandhi said.
"What is the mindset? That a girl has a place, she should be locked in a cage, she should be controlled, she should not work, and boys should get full freedom. They can do whatever they want, if they want to abuse they can abuse, if they want to work they can work... We do not want such Hindustan," the Congress leader said.
Rahul Gandhi said women have been put in boxes, underscoring that they only belong to themselves
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called out Rahul Gandhi's "hypocrisy" for preaching women's empowerment while opposing the Women's Reservation Bill. The Chief Minister labelled the Congress as a directionless party of "showoffs and loudmouths".
"Coming to Pune to talk about women empowerment and then opposing the very Bill that would give them real power; that's Rahul Gandhi's hypocritical stand for you," Fadnavis said.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram blamed Fadnavis' statement on "cognitive fatigue" and reminded him that the Congress supported the bill in both houses of Parliament.
"But you are a very beautiful, girl, what do you mean he doesn't want a girl like you," Rahul Gandhi said, with the crowd cheering him and the woman.
