Rahul’s Jibe on Lack of Women in RSS Provocative but Well-Meaning

The Congress VP’s remark has been interpreted by BJP to mean that Rahul Gandhi wants to “see women in shorts”.

“Ever seen women in shorts at RSS shakhas?”

A well-intentioned, albeit provocative, comment by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi backfired on Tuesday, 10 October, as it sparked outrage from the BJP. Addressing a gathering of students in Vadodara, as part of his his three-day rally in Gujarat ahead of the state elections, the Congress scion lambasted the RSS for discriminating against women.

While pointing out that the RSS ranks have little or no room for women, Gandhi sarcastically said:

Inka (BJP) main sangathan RSS hai. Kitni mahila hain usme? Kabhi shaakha mein mahilaon ko dekha hai shorts mein? Maine toh nahi dekha (The RSS is the BJP’s parent organisation. How many women are in the RSS? Have you ever seen women in shorts in RSS shakhas? I haven’t).