NEW DELHI: Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has asked women across the country to share what being an Indian woman means to them, seeking responses on their experiences, struggles, dreams and the challenges they face.
In an Instagram video, Gandhi posed the question: “What does it mean to be an Indian woman?”
“I want to know how you feel. Not society’s voice, not your family’s, but what does your own voice say?” he said, asking women to share their struggles, obstacles, perspectives and dreams.
He also shared some of the responses he received, many of which highlighted experiences of control, patriarchy, discrimination and social expectations.
Rahul Gandhi’s Instagram story
‘Constantly facing control disguised as concern’
One woman said she was “constantly facing control disguised as concern”, while another spoke about how paper leaks, unaffordable colleges and academic difficulties could push women towards early marriage.
Another response said: “Patriarchy killing dreams, moral policing and being threatened for expressing.”
Several women spoke about being unheard, overworked and misunderstood.
One response read: “Unheard, compromising, misunderstood, made fun of, abused, weak, overworked but called devi.”
Another said women “don’t get to choose how we want to spend our life.”
Fear, struggle and sacrifice also emerged as recurring themes, with one woman describing herself as “somebody’s daughter, somebody’s wife” and saying women are marginalised.
‘From childhood, told you have to go to another home’
Some responses focused on the expectations placed on women from childhood.
“Bachpan se yaad dilana ki tumhe kisi aur ke ghar jana hi hoga aur usi hisab se hume palna,” one woman wrote.
Another spoke about restrictions on clothing, saying women are told they cannot wear certain clothes because “the men might lose control.”
Other responses raised concerns over healthcare and governance, with one woman saying she felt “oppressed by the govt, & society” and that women were provided poor medical facilities.
Gandhi says exercise helped him understand women’s experiences
Gandhi said the idea came while his team was preparing material for his upcoming ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme, which is aimed at women.
He said he asked women in his team to share their thoughts on being an Indian woman, including how society treated them, as well as the positive and negative experiences they had.
The exercise, he said, helped him understand their experiences to some extent.
“My team decided, why not open this up to everyone and make it accessible?” Gandhi said, inviting women attending the programme as well as those watching it to share their own experiences.
Rahul Gandhi’s Pune event
Gandhi is scheduled to participate in the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Pune.
The event received permission from the Maharashtra government subject to 30 conditions.
The programme is being positioned as a platform for women to share their experiences and perspectives, with Gandhi now seeking responses from a wider audience ahead of the event.
Courtesy : TOI
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