A political row has erupted between the Congress and the BJP over women's dignity and ancient scriptures following Rahul Gandhi's address at the Chhatru Ki Goonj youth outreach program in Pune on August 22. Invoking Manusmriti verses regarding the authority of male relatives over women, the Leader of Opposition termed the idea a shame and argued that the mindset to suppress women stems from the scripture. Asserting that women are individuals rather than property, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of harboring a Manusmriti mindset and urged young women to smash patriarchy. The BJP hit back sharply, questioning his opposition to the women's quota bill and citing the absence of women ministers in Karnataka's cabinet as proof of Congress's hypocrisy.
