Rahul Gandhi urges Indian women to claim ownership of their own lives

During the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ program at AISSMS College Ground in Pune, Rahul Gandhi described the country’s 70 crore women as its biggest asset and argued that a woman’s life belongs solely to herself, dismissing an old Manusmriti verse linking women to fathers, husbands and sons. He called on young people to “break the cage,” emphasizing individuality, personal dreams and the freedom to define one’s own path. The event followed a violent confrontation between NSUI and ABVP activists at the COEP Technological University hostel, where police used a lathi charge and registered cases against 50-60 individuals.

Congress accused ABVP of intimidating female students, while the BJP alleged that the Congress paid influencers to swell attendance, labeling the program “Paise Ki Goonj.” Both parties blamed each other for attempts to disrupt the outreach to students and youth.