Rahul Gandhi backs nationwide protests for women's safety, urges Gen Z to join agitation

New Delhi, Sep 29 (UNI) Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday threw his weight behind protests by students and young people demanding safety for women, urging more young women, particularly members of Gen Z, to join the demonstrations across the country and asserting that women cannot be forced to remain confined to their homes because of crimes committed against them.

In a strongly worded message on his WhatsApp channel, Gandhi said women across the country have been increasingly living in fear of harassment and sexual violence, and accused the government of placing the burden of ensuring their safety on them rather than addressing the conduct of perpetrators. "Stop punishing women for the crimes committed against them," Gandhi said, pointing out that women are afraid to walk the streets for fear of harassment and rape.

"And the government's answer: stay at home," he said. Describing the situation as an expression of patriarchy, the Congress leader alleged that the prevailing system blamed victims while shielding those responsible for crimes against them. "This is patriarchy at work: a system that blames the victim and shields the criminal. It is time to smash it," he said.

Gandhi maintained that restricting women's movement could not be the answer to sexual violence and harassment, insisting that the responsibility lay with the authorities to ensure safe public spaces and take decisive action against offenders. "The solution is not to lock women inside. It is to make our streets safe, to confront the mindset of men who mistreat women, and to punish those who attack them, swiftly and without exception," he said. Calling for greater participation in the ongoing demonstrations, Gandhi said thousands of students and young people had taken to the streets demanding safety for women and appealed to more young women, particularly those belonging to Gen Z, to join the protests in greater numbers.

"Thousands of students and young people are on the streets demanding safety for women. I urge even more young women, especially Gen Z across India to come out in stronger numbers," he said. Accusing the government of remaining unresponsive to the concerns of women and young protesters, Gandhi asserted that public pressure was necessary to compel it to listen to their demands. "This government is deaf to your pain and will only listen when it's under pressure," he said.

Emphasising the importance of democratic dissent, the Leader of the Opposition expressed solidarity with those participating in the demonstrations and underlined their right to protest peacefully. "Peaceful protest is your democratic right, and I stand with you wholeheartedly," he said. Gandhi's appeal comes amid renewed public attention to women's safety, sexual harassment and their right to access public spaces without fear.

The issue has repeatedly triggered protests and demands for stronger law enforcement, accountability and effective measures to prevent violence against women. His remarks have brought the debate back to a fundamental question: whether women should be expected to restrict their movements and alter their daily lives to avoid harassment, or whether the state must ensure that public spaces remain safe and accessible to them.

His appeal also underlines the role of young people and peaceful demonstrations in pressing authorities to address concerns over women's security.

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