Pune: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi used a youth outreach programme in Pune to deliver a strong message on women’s autonomy, saying women do not belong to their fathers, husbands or sons but are the sole owners of their own lives.
Addressing the Congress youth programme ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ on Saturday, Gandhi described India’s nearly 70 crore women as the country’s “biggest asset” and argued that their ideas, ambitions and individual journeys will play a crucial role in shaping the nation’s future.
His remarks were framed as a direct challenge to traditional notions of women’s dependence on male family members. Gandhi also invoked the Manusmriti, criticising passages that he said place women under the authority of their fathers, husbands and sons at different stages of life.
Rahul Gandhi’s message on women’s independence
Gandhi told young women at the Pune event that they should believe in themselves and stand up for their own interests.
His central message was that relationships with fathers, brothers, husbands and sons do not mean that a woman is owned by those family members. Instead, he said, women retain ownership over their own lives.
The Congress leader presented this argument as part of a broader discussion about the role of women in India's future. He said the country’s women represent millions of individual journeys, imaginations and dreams rather than being a single social category.
The emphasis on individual identity was particularly significant because Gandhi was speaking directly to young people, many of whom are navigating questions surrounding education, careers, relationships and personal independence.
Manusmriti reference sparks a broader debate
Gandhi's remarks also brought the Manusmriti into the centre of his speech.
He referred to a traditional prescription that, according to his interpretation, says a woman should remain under the authority of her father during childhood, her husband during adulthood and her sons after her husband's death.
Gandhi called those words “a shame” and rejected the underlying idea that women should never be independent.
His criticism reflects a long-running political and ideological debate in India over the Manusmriti and its place in discussions about caste, gender and social hierarchy.
By raising the text while speaking to young women, Gandhi linked historical ideas about gender roles with contemporary questions about women's freedom and equality.
Women described as India’s “biggest asset”
A major part of Gandhi's address focused on the potential of women to shape India's development.
He described the country's approximately 70 crore women as its “biggest asset”, arguing that women possess a forward-looking perspective that is essential for India's future.
Rather than discussing women only through the lens of welfare or protection, Gandhi's speech placed emphasis on their agency and decision-making power.
The argument is politically significant because debates about women's empowerment in India frequently involve education, employment, safety, political participation and economic independence. Gandhi's comments attempted to connect those issues through a broader principle: that women should have the freedom to determine their own lives.
Why the Pune event mattered
The programme was part of Congress's broader effort to connect with young voters and students.
Gandhi said he had come to Pune not simply to deliver a political lecture but to listen to young people and understand their ideas and concerns. The event was attended by a large number of young women.
The focus on youth is particularly relevant as political parties increasingly attempt to engage a younger generation through direct interaction, social media and student-focused programmes.
Congress has branded the initiative ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, presenting it as a platform for students and young citizens to express their views.
Event overshadowed by political tensions
The Pune programme also unfolded amid political tensions.
A clash involving student groups NSUI and ABVP was reported at a COEP hostel. Congress alleged that female students had been intimidated during the developments surrounding the event. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera accused opponents of attempting to disrupt the programme and described the youth response as evidence that the BJP was unsettled by the turnout.
The BJP, meanwhile, criticised the Congress programme by calling it “Paise Ki Goonj,” turning the Congress's title into a political attack of its own. Congress responded by portraying the criticism as evidence of the ruling party's concern about its growing engagement with young people.
The competing narratives demonstrate how the Pune programme quickly became part of the wider political contest between Congress and BJP.
A message aimed beyond traditional politics
Gandhi's speech was not limited to electoral politics. His appeal to women centred on a question of personal identity: who has the right to make decisions about a woman's life?
By telling young women that they belong only to themselves, he sought to challenge social expectations that can place family honour, marriage or traditional gender roles above individual choice.
That message can resonate particularly strongly with younger generations, who are increasingly debating questions of autonomy, education, professional ambitions, relationships and gender equality.
At the same time, Gandhi's invocation of the Manusmriti ensures that the remarks will remain part of India's larger political debate over tradition, reform and social justice.
The larger political message
The Pune address fits into Congress's renewed effort to establish a stronger connection with students and younger voters.
Gandhi's emphasis on women's independence gives that outreach a wider social dimension. Instead of presenting women simply as beneficiaries of government policies, he positioned them as independent citizens whose decisions should not be controlled by family or social hierarchy.
His remarks also reflect an attempt to frame gender equality as a question of individual freedom rather than only a matter of government schemes.
For Congress, such messaging could help strengthen its appeal among young voters concerned about equality and personal freedom. For its political opponents, however, Gandhi's criticism of the Manusmriti is likely to remain a point of ideological disagreement.
Ultimately, the Pune speech placed one principle at the centre of Gandhi's message: a woman's identity and future should be determined by herself, not by the expectations or authority of others.
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