‘Disparage India’s traditions’: Yogi Adityanath tears into Rahul Gandhi’s Manusmriti remarks

While speaking at an event in Raebareli, Adityanath said the country does not have high expectations from the Congress leader. He also accused Gandhi of disparaging the country’s traditions and heritage.

The UP CM was referring to Rahul Gandhi’s Saturday event in Pune, where he lashed out at “Manusmriti mindset” and urged girl students to “smash patriarchy.”

#WATCH | Raebareli: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, “Recently, I was reading a statement made by the Member of Parliament from Raebareli, Rahul Gandhi. He made a statement in Maharashtra urging women to break free from the shackles of the Manusmriti. Rahul ji, the country… pic.twitter.com/vXiLbs6FWz

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2026

Referring to Gandhi’s statement, Adityanath said, “The country does not have high expectations of you merely as Rahul Gandhi. Nobody has any expectations from you. However, your role as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament entails accountability towards the country’s democracy. You took an oath to uphold the Constitution of India, yet you seem to consider it your birthright to disparage India’s traditions and heritage.”

What Rahul Gandhi said and how CM Yogi Adityanath responded

At the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Maharashtra, Rahul Gandhi spoke about the various types of violence faced by women in the country and quoted Manusmriti “which says a female must be subject to her father in her youth, husband when she is young, and later her son”.

Rahul said that women belong to themselves and not to their fathers, husbands or sons. He went on to term Manusmriti’s prescription as shameful that a woman should remain under the authority of male relatives at every stage of her life.

“You belong to nobody, except yourself. You have a relationship with your father, brother, husband, your son, but you do not belong to them, and you belong to yourself,” the Congress leader said.

Reacting to the remark, Adityanath posed a question: “Is there anyone whose life, in one form or another, does not have the protection of a woman — as a mother, as a sister, as a wife, or as a son? Is there someone like that?”

#WATCH | Raebareli: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, “…You must have witnessed how, at Jantar Mantar, a daughter used abusive language against Prime Minister Modi, and later, both the daughter and her mother retracted those words and offered an apology. Her parents, too,… https://t.co/YmVvh8QPj9 pic.twitter.com/zdTDH9rr0o

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2026

“Is there any daughter without a father? Is there any sister without a brother? Does any wife consider her existence without her husband? And does any mother consider her existence without her son?” he asked.

The Uttar Pradesh CM attacked Gandhi for what he said was insulting the country, questioning its army and discrediting Hindu Gods.

“When you travel outside Uttar Pradesh, you malign and insult the state. When you go abroad, you insult India. When the country’s army fight against terrorism, you ask evidence from the army. You directly or indirectly encourage anti-national elements. Your party questions the very existence of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya,” Adityanath said.

“As for your commitment to democracy, the country witnessed the dark shadow of the Emergency in 1975. You make comments regarding Manu, Ram, or India’s heritage. If you wish to understand Manu, read the Atharvaveda, the Shatapatha Brahmana and the Matsya Purana, you will find all the information there,” he added.

The BJP had hit out at Rahul Gandhi’s remark, calling the event a “political comedy show”. Party’s Maharashtra vice-president Keshav Upadhye also accused the Congress leader of making political statements instead of addressing issues concerning students.