BJP leader Nazia Khan on Friday said she has filed a complaint against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on the Manusmriti. Khan, who is a Supreme Court lawyer, also slammed the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha for using images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanth while speaking on Manusmriti.
“Since the BJP government came to power, has the PM ever stated that everyone must read or follow the Manusmriti? He will have to answer for why he did this,” news agency ANI quoted her as saying.
Khan alleged that Rahul Gandhi picked out a single chapter and twisted the words to malign the ancient text. “The way the Manusmriti has been maligned: by picking out a single chapter and twisting the words, attempts have been made to create a false impression,” she said.
The BJP leader alleged that Gandhi said whatever he pleased, and questioned his use of pictures of BJP and RSS leaders. “But why did he display the photographs of the PM and the respected CM Yogi Adityanath in the background? Why did he display the photograph of Mohan Bhagwat,” Khan asked.
What Rahul Gandhi said
Rahul Gandhi had criticised the “Manusmriti mindset” during the Pune leg of the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign on Saturday. He urged the students to “smash the patriarchy” and said that women belonged to themselves, not to their fathers, husbands, or sons.
“I (would) like to quote here the Manusmriti, which says clearly that in childhood a female must be subject to her father, in youth she belongs to her husband and, when her lord is dead, she belongs to her sons. A woman must never be independent. These words are a shame. These words should not have been spoken,” Gandhi said.
Yogi Adityanath slams Rahul Gandhi
His statement also drew criticism from Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who on Monday asked Gandhi to study religious texts before commenting.
Speaking at a programme in Rae Bareli, Adityanath said, “You comment on Manusmriti, Ram, and Indian heritage. If you wish to understand Manusmriti, read Atharvaveda, Shatapatha Brahmana, and Matsya Purana; you will find all the information there.”
The chief minister said Rahul Gandhi is expected to demonstrate accountability towards democracy and the Constitution. He asked why Rahul Gandhi wanted to “lead India’s children and young generation towards a situation where a mother or another person later has to feel ashamed and apologise?”
