Rahul Gandhi calls for protests against harassment and violence against women

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has urged young people to protest against violence and harassment targeting women. In a video message and post on X on Tuesday, Gandhi said the response to attacks on women should not be to restrict their movements or tell them to stay at home. He called for safer streets, changes in the attitudes of men who mistreat women and swift punishment for offenders.

Gandhi said the existing system blamed victims and protected criminals. He urged more young women, especially members of Generation Z, to join students and others already protesting for women’s safety. “Peaceful protest is your democratic right, and I stand with you wholeheartedly,” Gandhi said.

He also argued that a woman was not responsible for an attack or rape and that responsibility lay with the perpetrator. Referring to the rape of a 16-year-old girl near a park in South Delhi, Gandhi criticised suggestions that women should stop visiting parks at night. He described such a response as wrong and said women should not be punished or have their lifestyles curtailed because someone attacked them.

Gandhi also referred to reported cases in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab while making a broader call for action against offenders and against attitudes that enable mistreatment of women. He said the government would respond only under pressure and encouraged more young people to take part in protests. The source material does not include a response from the government or other political parties to his comments.