Kiren Rijiju criticizes Rahul Gandhi over patriarchy comments

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has criticized Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi following Gandhi’s comments regarding the need to abolish patriarchy. Rijiju accused the Congress party of selectively targeting the Hindu community while remaining silent on issues affecting women in minority communities, specifically citing the practice of triple talaq.

The dispute arose after Rahul Gandhi spoke at a ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Pune, where he quoted a verse from the Manusmriti. Gandhi described the social structure depicted in the text—which places women under the authority of fathers, husbands, and sons—as shameful, arguing that women must have an identity independent of male relatives to achieve equality.

In response, Rijiju stated on social media that Indian women are making significant strides in fields such as ISRO, fighter aviation, and the Olympics. He argued that true empowerment must support women across all religions and communities rather than focusing on a single group.