Manusmriti Row: Rahul Gandhi Fighting for Women’s Rights or Targeting Hinduism?

A fresh political storm has erupted after Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi criticised the Manusmriti during his “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme in Pune, arguing that women should not be defined by their relationship with fathers, husbands or sons. He described the idea of women being dependent on male relatives as “shameful” and urged women to break what he called the “cage” of patriarchy.

Gandhi’s argument has a clear social dimension: women's independence, equal opportunity and freedom from patriarchal restrictions. But the controversy began because he linked these concerns directly to the Manusmriti, an ancient Hindu text. BJP leaders have accused him of selectively attacking Hindu traditions and using women's rights as a political route to target Hinduism. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Gandhi was insulting India's cultural heritage, while other BJP leaders questioned whether Congress applies the same standards to other religious and social traditions.

The Congress, however, sees the controversy differently. Its argument is that criticising a particular text or social practice is not the same as attacking an entire religion. Gandhi's supporters say the focus should be on whether any tradition or interpretation restricts women's equality and individual freedom. The BJP and Hindu organisations, on the other hand, argue that Gandhi is deliberately portraying Hindu civilisation negatively for political gain.

Ultimately, this controversy raises a much bigger question: can India discuss problematic aspects of historical traditions without turning every debate into a Hindu-versus-anti-Hindu political battle? Rahul Gandhi may be raising a legitimate question about women's autonomy, but his decision to place Manusmriti at the centre of that argument has inevitably made the issue politically explosive. Is this genuinely a fight for women's rights—or another chapter in India's increasingly polarised politics?