Rahul Gandhi addresses students in Pune amid NSUI-ABVP clashes

Rahul Gandhi Chhatron Ki Goonj student protest NSUI vs ABVP women's rights

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, held a student interaction program titled ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ in Pune to discuss issues such as paper leaks, unemployment, and women's rights. During the event, Gandhi addressed thousands of female students, emphasizing that women should be independent and not defined by their relationships to men. He criticized the Manusmriti for its views on women's status and highlighted the three forms of violence women face: infanticide, physical abuse, and economic restrictions.

Ahead of the event, a violent midnight clash occurred at the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) hostel between members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The conflict reportedly arose over student registrations for Gandhi's program. NSUI accused ABVP of intimidating and confining female students, while ABVP claimed NSUI workers were forcefully pressuring students to attend. Following the clash, police used a lathicharge to control the situation and registered cases against 50 to 60 Youth Congress and NSUI activists.

Political tensions also escalated as BJP leaders accused the Congress party of paying students to attend the program, an allegation the Congress has denied. Additionally, students raised concerns regarding the transparency of the examination system, noting that approximately 75 million candidates have been affected by paper leaks over the last decade.

Entities

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad · College of Engineering Pune · Indian National Congress · National Students' Union of India · National Students’ Union of India · Pune · Rahul Gandhi · Shivajinagar Police

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] The Manusmriti contains views that women should never be independent, describing them as property of male relatives. hindi.webdunia.com · www.prabhatkhabar.com · theindianawaaz.com · www.tv9hindi.com
[● 6 SOURCES] Police registered cases against 50 to 60 Youth Congress and NSUI activists following a clash. lagatar.in · bhaskarlive.in · bilkulonline.com · www.edexlive.com · samacharnama.com · +1 more
[● 2 SOURCES] BJP leader Ram Kadam alleged that Congress is paying students to attend the event. www.bhaskarhindi.com · www.prabhatkhabar.com
[● 4 SOURCES] ABVP members threatened and confined female students in a hostel to prevent them from supporting the event. lagatar.in · bhaskarlive.in · bilkulonline.com · newsable.asianetnews.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The 70 crore women of India represent the nation's greatest strength and capital. hindi.webdunia.com · www.prabhatkhabar.com · theindianawaaz.com · www.tv9hindi.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 75 million candidates have been affected by 152 paper leak cases over the last decade. navabharat.com
[● 3 SOURCES] NSUI and Youth Congress workers pressured students to register for the Rahul Gandhi event. lagatar.in · bhaskarlive.in · bilkulonline.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Rahul Gandhi identified three forms of violence against women: infanticide, physical abuse, and economic constraints. hindi.webdunia.com