‘Women should not be identified by fathers, husbands or sons’, Rahul Gandhi says girls in India must be free
Rahul Gandhi interacted with female students at the ‘Students Ki Goonj’ programme in Pune and said women should be independent and their identity should not be defined by their relationships with fathers, husbands or sons.
Pune (The Uttam Hindu): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacted with female students at the ‘Students Ki Goonj’ programme held in Pune on Saturday. During the interaction, he said it is important for women and girls in the country to be independent. He said a woman may have relationships with her father, husband or son, but her identity should not be defined only by these relationships.
At the beginning of the programme, Rahul Gandhi said he had not come to give the students a speech or discuss politics. Instead, his aim was to give the students an opportunity to express their views. He said he wanted to understand what young women think and what their views are about the country and society.
‘You speak, we will discuss your views’
Rahul Gandhi said he had not come to tell the students what he thinks. He said the purpose of the programme was to provide young women with an opportunity to speak openly.
He said the students would share their thoughts and experiences, after which various issues would be discussed with them. Only female students participated in the programme. During the event, some students also raised slogans in support of Rahul Gandhi.
Police reportedly granted permission for the programme with around 30 conditions.
Has interacted with students earlier as well
Rahul Gandhi has previously participated in similar interaction programmes with students. He interacted with students in Kota on June 17, Dehradun on July 17 and Prayagraj on August 8. During these programmes, he discussed issues including paper leaks, the education system and matters concerning young people.
‘Why does a man want to control a woman?’
During the programme, Rahul Gandhi asked a student why a man wants to control a woman. He asked whether the students felt that women are subjected to attempts at control because of the patriarchal system.
In response, a student said that she sees herself first as a human being and feels angry when people reduce her identity only to being a woman.
‘Why is a woman viewed differently when she asks for her share?’
Rahul Gandhi also raised questions about women’s rights within families. He said that when a brother asks for his share of family property, it is considered his right, but when a woman asks for her share, she is viewed differently.
A student said that families and society often expect women to manage household work, cooking and childcare along with their jobs.
‘India’s real strength lies in people’s dreams and ideas’
Rahul Gandhi said India’s strength does not lie only in its armed forces or any single institution. According to him, the country’s greatest strength is the dreams, ideas and imagination of its millions of people.
He said women are often viewed through family relationships such as wife, daughter and mother. Rahul Gandhi said these relationships are important, but a woman’s entire identity should not be limited to them.
‘Women are not dependent on anyone’
Rahul Gandhi said women should be independent and have an identity of their own. He said a woman can have relationships with her father, husband and son, but her identity is not determined by these relationships.
He said women should have the right to make their own choices, express their views and take decisions about their lives. Rahul Gandhi urged the students present at the programme to express their views openly and establish their identities independently.