Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, 26 August launched a sharp attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of hypocrisy over his 'smash the patriarchy' slogan delivered at the 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' event in Pune. The BJP alleged that the event itself was orchestrated to deflect attention from what it described as misogynistic remarks made by Congress leaders against Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni at a party convention on 13 August.

What BJP Said at the Press Conference

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj directly challenged Gandhi, saying: 'On 22nd August, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempted to construct a new false narrative in this country. He says, ‘smash the patriarchy’, and I am all for it. But I want to ask Rahul Gandhi: Do you limit your slogan only to the stage in Pune, and do you continue to shelter political patriarchy within your own Congress party?'

Swaraj alleged that Gandhi lacks a genuine agenda and is guided entirely by his research team. She further described the remarks attributed to Gandhi and Sandeep Dikshit at the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention regarding Prime Minister Meloni as akin to 'overhearing boys in a locker room,' adding that such conduct 'doesn't suit the country's LoP.'

Congress Leaders' Past Remarks Cited

Swaraj catalogued a series of incidents she said exposed the Congress's inconsistency on women's dignity. She alleged that Congress leader Supriya Shrinate made 'indecent and derogatory remarks' against Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut from an official social media account when Ranaut received her election ticket — remarks Swaraj said Gandhi ignored entirely. 'Her ‘rate’ was asked. Yet, Rahul Gandhi maintained complete silence,' she said, adding that she personally filed a formal complaint over the incident.

She further cited a remark by Randeep Surjewala against Mathura MP Hema Malini in April 2024, which resulted in a 48-hour campaign ban for Surjewala, yet drew no public condemnation from Gandhi. Swaraj also referenced Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's alleged use of the term 'Rashtrapatni' for President Droupadi Murmu in 2022, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath reportedly referring to a BJP leader as 'item' in 2020, and a remark on 'rape' made by former Karnataka Congress MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar on the floor of the Assembly in 2021 — which, she alleged, drew laughter from Congress MLAs and the Speaker alike.

Governance Record and Legislative Positions Questioned

Swaraj questioned why Congress-governed states — specifically Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh — have no women ministers in their cabinets, arguing that women's empowerment has been reduced to an election slogan for the party. She also accused Congress of strongly opposing the Nari Shakti Vandhan Adiniyam, the women's reservation legislation, and of resisting the Triple Talaq ban, which she said was designed to protect Muslim women.

Responding to Gandhi's references to Manusmriti at the Pune event, Swaraj called it 'selective outrage,' arguing that the Constitution grants equal status to all religions and questioning why Gandhi targets only one community. She also challenged Gandhi to sing the full version of the national song Vande Mataram, accusing the Congress of 'surrendering to Jihadi mindset.'

The Broader Political Context

The BJP's offensive comes amid a sustained effort by the party to counter Gandhi's increasingly assertive public messaging on gender and social justice. Gandhi's 22 August Pune address, framed around women's empowerment and the dismantling of patriarchal structures, had drawn significant media attention. Critics within the BJP argue the event was timed to shift the news cycle away from the controversy surrounding the 13 August Congress convention.

Swaraj closed her remarks with a pointed rebuke: 'This nation deserves a better Leader of Opposition.' Whether the BJP's counter-offensive gains traction will depend on how Congress responds to the specific incidents cited — several of which have been publicly documented.