Last Updated on August 23, 2026 5:55 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
AMN / NEWS DESK
The BJP and the Congress on Sunday engaged in a sharp war of words over Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with students in Pune, with both sides accusing each other of political hypocrisy and failing to address the concerns of young people.
The controversy followed Gandhi’s “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme in Pune on Saturday, where he spoke about patriarchy, women’s empowerment and what he described as a “Manusmriti mindset”. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks concerning women protesters at Jantar Mantar and urged women to challenge patriarchal structures.
The BJP dismissed the programme as a political exercise rather than a genuine student interaction. Maharashtra BJP vice-president Keshav Upadhye described the event as a “political comedy show”, alleging that Gandhi offered general political rhetoric instead of concrete solutions to students’ problems.
Upadhye also claimed that college buses were used to bring participants to the programme to create an impression of a large turnout. He accused the Congress of using caste and religious issues for political mobilisation after electoral setbacks and questioned its record on women’s rights.
Responding to the BJP, Congress national secretary Sachin Sawant claimed the ruling party was unsettled by the response Gandhi received in Pune. He alleged that the administration had imposed transport restrictions and created logistical hurdles, but that the interaction still drew significant public attention.
Sawant also targeted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, referring to his youth-focused programmes and accusing the BJP-led government of failing to adequately address employment and other concerns confronting young people.
Fadnavis, meanwhile, directly attacked Gandhi over the issue of women’s reservation. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, he accused the Congress leader of taking a contradictory position by speaking about women’s empowerment while, according to him, opposing the Women’s Reservation Bill.
The chief minister argued that political speeches on empowerment were insufficient unless accompanied by support for measures aimed at increasing women’s representation in Parliament. He said Gandhi’s statements and political actions did not match.
Fadnavis also described the Congress as a “directionless party” dependent on television appearances and public statements to remain politically relevant. He alleged that the party had lost touch with people on the ground.
The Congress, however, rejected the BJP’s criticism and maintained that Gandhi’s student outreach was aimed at giving young people a platform to raise issues concerning their future.
The escalating exchange highlights the growing political contest between the BJP and Congress over youth support, women’s representation and competing narratives on social justice, ahead of further political battles in Maharashtra.