Rahul Gandhi And The Unfinished Battle Against Patriarchy

Rahul Gandhi's speech at a recent 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Pune highlighted his criticism of patriarchy and the Manusmriti. He argued that women face violence beyond physical harm, including denied opportunities and control in their daily lives. He encouraged women from the audience to share their stories, emphasizing that Indian women are the country's greatest asset.

However, he noted that 99% of sexual violence cases remain unreported due to social stigma, with nearly 4.5 lakh female foeticide cases annually, and 29% of women experiencing physical violence and 6% facing rape. Furthermore, 84% of women require their families' permission to work. Rahul called for an attitudinal shift and moral imagination to give women the space they need to live with dignity.

While political parties lean towards tangible welfare measures, the growing influence of women has made it difficult to sideline questions of patriarchy, women's safety, and gender equality. The BJP has criticized the Congress for not practicing gender equality, but Rahul's silence on a Kerala cleric's regressive remarks has drawn criticism.

Patriarchy is often accepted without question, shaping social norms. Despite cultural expectations for women to be obedient daughters-in-law, many women face abuse due to not bearing a son. Banu Mushtaq's short story, 'Be a Woman Once, Oh Lord', criticizes the systematic erasure and devaluation of women in a patriarchal world, demanding that the universe be remade with a female perspective.