Congress leader Rahul Gandhi used his fourth Chhatron Ki Goonj interaction to deliver a strong message to young women in Pune, urging them to challenge social restrictions, question inequality and demand their rightful place in society.
The event, held at the AISSMS ground in Pune on Saturday, August 22, marked Gandhi’s first Chhatron Ki Goonj programme in Maharashtra. Addressing a large gathering of young women, Gandhi called on them to openly challenge patriarchal attitudes.
“Be loud, be proud and fight for your space in society,” Gandhi told the students.
The Congress leader also began his interaction in Marathi, telling the crowd, “Pune mhanje prem [Pune means love],” which was met with loud cheers from the youngsters.
His speech, which continued for more than an hour, included conversations with young women from different backgrounds who spoke about their experiences and concerns.
Gandhi placed particular emphasis on the role of women in India’s future, saying that the country’s 70 crore women were more important than its 70 crore men.
Rahul Gandhi Takes Aim At Patriarchal Thinking
During his address, Gandhi criticised what he described as different standards being applied to men and women.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier remarks about the language used by young women during a protest at Jantar Mantar, Gandhi said that women were being judged differently from men.
“At Jantar Mantar, bad words were used by both boys and girls. And yet, the PM expressed cultural shock only about the girls. The message was that it is okay for the boys to use bad words, not the girls,” he said.
Gandhi also accused BJP leaders of holding views that place responsibility for sexual violence on women.
He connected these arguments with what he described as the return of Manusmriti-based thinking.
‘We Don’t Want An India Where Girls Are Kept In A Cage’
Gandhi said young women should not have to live under restrictions simply because of their gender.
“We don’t want an India where it is believed that boys should get full freedom, but that girls should be kept in a cage at home. We want justice. We want that everyone should be respected. The fear from your hearts should be erased at the earliest. You are the foundation, the future of this country,” he said.
He then outlined several forms of control that he believes continue to affect women’s lives, including violence, restrictions on employment, financial burdens and social expectations.
“Women are controlled through violence. Every six out of 100 women are raped in India. That is direct physical violence. There is violence of opportunity, whereby 50% of women reject jobs due to safety concerns. There is financial violence, where ₹17,500 is spent annually for the safety of a woman. So there is direct, financial and opportunity violence when it comes to the women of our country,” Gandhi said.
He further claimed that 60% of girls were unable to leave their homes alone and that 45% left education because of household responsibilities or marriage.
Gandhi also said that only 8% of women in India independently owned property.
Gandhi Says Fear And Shame Also Restrict Women
The Congress leader argued that control over women does not always come through direct physical force and can also take the form of social pressure and fear.
He said sexual violence often goes unreported because of shame and social stigma.
“84% of women have to ask permission to work, and if you are a woman, you get paid 25% less than a man,” he said.
Gandhi also spoke about how women’s time and responsibilities can restrict their opportunities from an early age.
“The Manusmriti is back,” he said, while arguing that girls should not be forced to carry an additional burden because of traditional expectations.
He also invited tribal women participating in an ongoing protest in Pune to ask him to join them.
Pune Event Also Sparks Political Controversy
Gandhi’s visit to Pune was accompanied by political tension outside the main event.
The Shiv Sena criticised Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena UBT for welcoming Gandhi, referring to him as a “Savarkar hater” and questioning the party’s decision to welcome him.
The Shiv Sena also released a cartoon targeting the development and said the party should not continue claiming that it had not abandoned Hindutva.
Meanwhile, a confrontation involving NSUI and ABVP workers was reported at a college hostel in Pune earlier in the day. Police subsequently booked NSUI workers in connection with the incident.
The event also faced criticism from the BJP, which alleged that influencers were paid to promote the programme and portray it positively. These allegations have added another political dimension to Gandhi’s Pune visit.
For Gandhi, however, the central message of the event remained focused on young women, their independence and their role in shaping India’s future.
His appeal to the Gen Z audience was direct: challenge restrictions, demand equality and refuse to allow fear or social expectations to determine their place in society.
