Ram Puniyani
In pre-colonial India broad Hindu society was ruled by the laws of manusmiriti (MS) where caste and gender hierarchy was the core of its values. During the colonial period when education, transport and modern administration took roots, the germs of democracy started taking roots. These changes were oriented around the emerging concept of secular nationalism. The various components of this were the struggle for rights of workers, education and thereby empowerment of Dalits, women and concept of equal citizenship for all irrespective of religion, caste, language and gender. All these processes had their opponents from the elite-landlord-Clergy classes as well. While the democratising tendencies can broadly be grouped as the one’s represented by Bhagat Singh, Ambedkar and Gandhi. The one’s opposing these were represented in Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha and RSS.
The components of democratising processes included the rights of workers, freedom of expression, agitations for freedom and education for Dalits and women. As for as women’s education was concerned it began with Jotirao Phule, Savitribai Phule and Fatima Shaikh. The hardships faced by Savitribai Phule and Fatima Shaikh in pursuing their goals are well known. Ambedkar’s movements had good participation from women and Gandhi led national movements also had a good presence of women in these. The Opponents from elite sections not only opposed all these processes, their organizations, Muslim League and RSS were mainly male organizations. Our constitution very aptly gave equal opportunities and status to both genders.
While Muslim League ideology played havoc in Pakistan, RSS was the major organization to oppose equality of women here in India. When in 1936 Laxmibai Kelkar asked the RSS Sarsanghchalak for women becoming members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he turned it down and asked her to start Rashtra Sevika Samiti. It is noteworthy that in the women's organization the word Swayam is missing, Rashtra Sevika Samiti. This gave a clear indication that women have to be subordinate to men. RSS combine also opposed the Indian Constitution on the ground that it does not have the values from ancient glorious past, meaning MS. RSS combine stood totally against the original draft of Hindu Code bill which gave equal rights over property for women in fathers property.
All this flashed to one’s mind as Rahul Gandhi's' Chhatron ki Goonj’ program exclusively for girls took place in Pune on 23rd August 2026. During the initial decades of our freedom a lot happened towards equality of women/girls but at the same time the grip of Hindu nationalist ideology was promoted through various channels. One of the mechanisms was Gita Press, which published books based on MS in millions of copies. There were other activities and signals by various organizations associated with this ideology.
One recalls Roop Kanwar being burned on the pyre of her husband. While there was a rightful condemnation of this tragic event by most groups and parties, BJP’s Vice President Vijaya Raje Schndia took a procession to Parliament with the slogan that committing Sati is a glorious Indian Tradition and also right of the women. Interestingly she herself did not exercise this right after the death of her husband! Then there is Mridula Sinha, the ex-Chief of BJP mahila morcha, who in an interview with Savvy magazine (April 1994) stated that women should not work outside home, unless a dire necessity. She defended wife beating and dowry practice.
In the Pune meeting Rahul Gandhi heard the voices of women, who articulated the issues of their security, obstacles to their studies, obstacles to their independent decision making and diverse social pressures and obstacles to living the life of a full citizen. Rahul Gandhi turned the meeting into a process of social reform. It was a great effort to push the social processes in the direction of equality for women. Women’s groups which are struggling for this cause will be greatly helped by the spirit and message of the meeting.
In today's India RSS combine is not only trying to undermine the values of Indian Constitution, but also promoting retrograde social relationships vis a vis women and Dalits. While its promotion of hatred against Muslims and Christians is very much in the air, its promotion of MS values vis a vis women is also very much there, and was well underlined in the Pune meeting. Gandhi gave three obvious examples. One Dr. Mohan Bhagawat’s statement that rapes happen in India not in Bharat. Surely by Bharat he meant rural areas, unaffected by the process of changes towards values of the Constitution. He is feigning ignorance of rapes against Dalits and Adivasi women.
Then there is Manoharlal Khattar, a union minister as per whom 70% of rapes take place due to women themselves! The leader of the pack is of course Narendra Modi. He recently was upset that girls used abusive words in Jantar mantar protest. Same being done by boys was passe’ for him. The way he underplayed the plight of our women wrestlers is abominable.
Gandhi correctly brought out the core ideology of Hindu Nationalists. He correctly stated that these RSS Combine upholds MS, as per which a girl has to be under the control of her father in Child hood, under the control of her husband in adulthood and under the control of her son if she becomes a widow. Gandhis’ statement that Girls should have their own Swayam (self) was absolutely on the dot and was appreciated by the girls present in the meeting.
This meeting should be a landmark in the struggle of women towards equality. The message of the meeting was loud and clear. It did express the aspirations of girls in a very forthright manner. Without being ‘political’ in a usual sense of the word, Gandhi operated at a deeper social level, he harped on the social structure which needs to transform through struggles of women for their equality. The girls also articulated that boys have also to change to ensure that girls are able to live freely with equality and dignity, they are half of humanity, half of India. India which has been gripped by Hindu nationalist mindset, which needs to change and give a strength to values of Indian Constitution. It is one more reason for challenging the rising might of RSS combine
