Bansuri Swaraj Targets Rahul Gandhi Over ‘Smash the Patriarchy’ Remark

New Delhi, September 04, 2026 BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of failing to match his public statements on women’s empowerment with the political record of Congress governments. Raising questions over women’s representation and recent developments in Telangana, she alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s position on such issues lacked consistency. "For Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, 'Smash the Patriarchy' is merely hollow rhetoric. You must have seen that in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, where Congress governments are in power, they did not find even a single woman suitable to be given the responsibility of a ministerial position." Bansuri Swaraj also pointed to the situation in Telangana, referring to senior Congress leader Konda Surekha and her removal from the state cabinet. She said that Surekha had levelled serious allegations against the Congress government in Telangana and the state’s Chief Minister. "Yesterday, you also saw how, in Telangana, a senior leader of the Congress party was allegedly humiliated and removed from the state cabinet by the Congress government there. Konda Surekha Ji has levelled very serious allegations against the Congress government in Telangana and the Congress Chief Minister. I want to ask... why is Rahul Gandhi still maintaining silence on the allegations of injustice and blackmail that she has made? Perhaps it is because 'Smash the Patriarchy' is, for him, nothing more than an election slogan and political rhetoric." The BJP MP’s remarks place the focus on the gap she alleges between Congress’ political messaging and developments within its governments. By questioning Rahul Gandhi’s silence over the allegations raised by Konda Surekha, Bansuri Swaraj sought to challenge the Congress leader’s stand on women’s representation and equality.