NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday backed student-led protests demanding greater safety for women and urged young women, particularly those from Gen Z, to participate in larger numbers.
In a post on X, the Congress leader said women should not face restrictions because of crimes committed against them and called for safer public spaces and stronger action against perpetrators.
“Stop punishing women for the crimes committed against them. Across our country, women are afraid to walk the streets, afraid of being harassed, afraid of being raped. And the government’s answer: stay at home,” Gandhi said.
“This is patriarchy at work: a system that blames the victim and shields the criminal. It is time to smash it,” he added.
Gandhi said the response to crimes against women should focus on making public spaces safer and ensuring that those responsible for offences are dealt with swiftly.
“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.
His remarks came amid a series of protests by Delhi University students over women’s safety following the alleged gangrape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park in south Delhi earlier this month.
The first major demonstration was held on September 23, when more than 200 students from Delhi University and affiliated institutions, including Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Miranda House, Gargi College and Dr BR Ambedkar University, took to the streets.
Students and faculty members raised concerns over harassment around campuses, inadequate surveillance and policing, and the safety of women travelling to and from educational institutions.
The protests continued over the following days. On September 25, hundreds of women students marched near Delhi University’s South Campus, demanding safer public spaces and stronger action against sexual harassment. The protesters were later moved from Siri Fort Road to Arun Jaitley Park amid police deployment.
On Monday, another demonstration was held at the Faculty of Arts, with hundreds of Delhi University students, primarily women and queer participants, taking part. Students raised concerns including poorly lit roads, safety during daily commutes and restrictions placed on women in the name of security.
