Manusmriti vs Constitution: Who Is Really Fighting for India’s Women?

India’s latest political battle over the Manusmriti is being presented as a fight for women’s freedom—but it may be revealing something more uncomfortable: how easily women’s rights become ammunition in India’s culture wars. At a Pune event , Rahul Gandhi criticised a passage he attributed to the Manusmriti for placing women under the authority of male relatives and urged women to “belong to themselves.” His message about women’s autonomy is difficult to oppose, but using an ancient text as a political weapon risks turning a serious discussion about gender equality into another Hinduism-versus-Congress confrontation.

The BJP’s response is equally problematic. Instead of keeping the discussion focused on whether women should have complete equality and independence, BJP leaders have largely turned Gandhi’s remarks into an alleged attack on Indian heritage. Yogi Adityanath accused Gandhi of insulting India’s heritage and told him to study religious texts before commenting on the Manusmriti. But defending cultural heritage should not mean avoiding uncomfortable questions about historical social practices. Tradition deserves respect, but it should never become an excuse for inequality.

At the same time, Congress cannot claim the moral high ground simply by quoting the Constitution against the Manusmriti. Where is the same political urgency when women face discrimination, violence, unequal opportunities and political under-representation today? Turning women's liberation into a speech against the BJP may win headlines, but genuine empowerment requires policies, education, employment and safety—not just political slogans.

Ultimately, both sides risk using women as symbols in a larger ideological battle. The BJP risks appearing defensive about historical traditions, while Congress risks reducing a complex civilisation and gender debate to an anti-BJP narrative. The Constitution—not political convenience—should remain the standard. India does not need a war between Manusmriti and the Constitution; it needs a society where no woman’s freedom depends on either politics, religion or patriarchy.