Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 24 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday accused Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of using the issue of women's rights as a "smokescreen" to target Hindu Dharma, alleging that his stand on women's empowerment was selective.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also alleged that Rahul Gandhi's idea of 'women's rights' continues to "begin and end with attacking Hinduism".
In a post on X, Sarma wrote, "Rahul Gandhi is NO champion of women's rights. He is simply a Hindu baiter, using the cause of women's empowerment as a convenient smokescreen to target and discredit Hindu Dharma. Consider this: how many times has he spoken with the same outrage against patriarchal and medieval practices that persist under Sharia? NEVER."
Rahul Gandhi is NO champion of women’s rights. He is simply a Hindu baiter, using the cause of women’s empowerment as a convenient smokescreen to target and discredit Hindu Dharma.
Consider this: how many times has he spoken with the same outrage against patriarchal and medieval…
Questioning the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's stance on religious and social reforms, the Assam CM said, "While Sharia is foundational to Islamic jurisprudence, Manusmriti has no comparable scriptural authority in Hindu Dharma. It is not even a universally binding code for Hindus."
"Yet ask yourself: how many times does Rahul Gandhi attack the Manusmriti, and how many times does he attack Sharia with the same fervour?" he added.
The chief minister further added that Hinduism's strength lies in its ability to "evolve, reform and adapt with time", adding that it has continued to do so "for millennia, and as it will for eternity." "Every Hindu must therefore ask: what is Rahul Gandhi's real intent - championing women's rights, or using them as a pretext to malign Hindu Dharma?" Sarma said.
The Assam CM also criticised the Congress party's record on women's issues, alleging that its position on women's rights was inconsistent.
"Cong rhetoric on women's rights rings hollow when measured against its own record. They betrayed our mothers and sisters by reversing the effect of the Shah Bano judgment. It opposed the law against Triple Talaq," he said.
Sarma further alleged that Gandhi compromised on women's representation in Karnataka, saying, "Just to cling to power in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi ensured that not a single woman found a place in the State Cabinet."
Issuing a challenge to the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sarma asked whether Gandhi would support a Uniform Civil Code if women's equality was his priority.
"So here is a simple challenge to Rahul Gandhi: If women's equality truly comes before politics, will he unequivocally support a Uniform Civil Code that guarantees equal rights irrespective of religion? Or will his idea of 'women's rights' continue to begin and end with attacking Hinduism?" he wrote. (ANI)
