Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday urged young people across India to join peaceful protests demanding safer public spaces for women. In a post and accompanying video, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha argued that the response to harassment and sexual violence should focus on those who commit the crimes, rather than on restricting women’s movements.
Gandhi criticised what he described as a system that blames victims while protecting perpetrators. He said telling women to stay indoors or avoid public places after an assault places the burden on them instead of addressing unsafe streets, harmful attitudes and failures to hold offenders accountable. His comments were a political criticism of the government’s response, not a statement of an announced government policy requiring women to remain at home.
He called for swift punishment for attackers and a change in the way men who mistreat women think and behave. Gandhi also expressed support for students who have taken to the streets, encouraging more young women and members of Gen Z to participate. He said peaceful protest was their democratic right.
South Delhi case adds urgency to safety demands
In his video, Gandhi referred to the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl near a park in South Delhi. He questioned why public discussion after such incidents often turns to whether women and girls should visit parks or travel at night. His argument was that responsibility for an assault lies with the perpetrator, while women should be able to use public spaces without fear.
The case has also prompted protests by Delhi University students. Demonstrators have raised concerns about poorly lit streets, harassment during travel and restrictions placed on women in the name of safety. Their demands include practical measures to make public spaces safer as well as broader changes in attitudes toward women.
Gandhi calls for peaceful youth action
Gandhi said he supported women and men protesting against sexual violence and urged more young people to speak out. He accused the government of responding only when it faces public pressure. That is his assessment of its conduct; the central point of his appeal was for demonstrators to continue their campaign peacefully.
His statement places a familiar question at the centre of the debate: whether authorities respond to violence by limiting women’s freedom or by making streets safer and pursuing those accused of attacks. The students’ protests and Gandhi’s intervention have brought renewed attention to that distinction and to the demand for accountability after crimes against women.
