The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called upon Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to demonstrate his commitment to women’s empowerment by actively supporting the immediate implementation of the 33% women’s reservation bill and by advocating for the full rendition of the Vande Mataram song, including verses invoking Goddess Durga, at Congress party offices.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that BJP national general secretary Smriti Irani, addressing reporters, challenged Gandhi to validate his recent statements supporting women and their leadership. Irani suggested that Gandhi could take concrete action by backing the swift implementation of the legislation that reserves one-third of seats for women in Parliament and state legislative assemblies. She highlighted that a bill ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women has already been passed, aimed at enhancing the dignity of parliamentary proceedings through greater female representation.
Rahul Gandhi, during his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ outreach programme in Pune on Saturday, had urged female students to dismantle patriarchal structures and criticised what he termed a ‘Manusmriti mindset,’ asserting that it perpetuates women’s subjugation to male relatives throughout their lives. He also contended that societal violence hinders women’s progress, with a significant percentage of women experiencing harassment.
Responding to Gandhi’s invocation of religious texts and societal issues, Irani remarked on the Congress party’s stance regarding the Vande Mataram. She referenced a controversy surrounding the Congress’s decision to recite only two stanzas of the national song at some party events, a move the BJP has criticised as disrespectful. Irani pointed out that the complete Vande Mataram includes verses that invoke Goddess Durga, a revered deity in Hinduism symbolising divine power (Shakti).
“Our religious ethos of Hindus not only upholds the tenet of ‘Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah (where women are honoured, divinity resides)’,” Irani stated, “but we also worship Goddesses like Bhagwati, Lakshmi and Saraswati. We worship Goddess Durga as the embodiment of ‘Shakti’ (divine power). I urge that the full rendition of Vande Mataram, including the verses invoking Goddess Durga, be performed at the Congress headquarters.”
The BJP leader emphasized that Gandhi could translate his stated support for women into tangible action by endorsing the immediate implementation of the reservation bill and ensuring the full version of the Vande Mataram is sung at the Congress headquarters. She reiterated that a bill ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women nationally has been passed, intended to elevate the stature of Parliament through increased female participation.
The exchange underscores a political debate concerning women’s representation in governance and the cultural significance of national symbols. The BJP has positioned itself as a proponent of women’s advancement through legislative means and cultural affirmations, using Gandhi’s remarks as a platform to press its agenda. The call for the full rendition of Vande Mataram also taps into broader discussions about national identity and religious sentiments, with the BJP seeking to highlight a perceived inconsistency in the Congress party’s approach to nationalistic symbols and religious inclusivity.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
