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A political debate unfolded over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's event titled 'Smash Patriarchy' held in Pune. The discussion centered on allegations that the critique selectively targeted Hindu culture and texts like the Manusmriti, while omitting issues like triple talaq, Sharia law, and polygamy in other religions. Addressing these charges, the Minority Affairs Minister emphasized that social reforms must adopt a universal approach across all faiths rather than singling out one community. The Minister highlighted historical social reforms within Hinduism, including prohibitions on child marriage and polygamy, arguing that the faith encourages discourse and debate. Clarifying the governance framework, the Minister asserted that India is governed strictly by the Constitution and its core values, rather than ancient texts. Furthermore, the discussion emphasized that individual rights and freedom of expression permit differing views on religious texts without being labeled illegal, provided national security and integrity remain uncompromised.

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00:00Rahul Gandhi made a call in Pune, held an event which is smash patriarchy.
00:06You yourself, a lot of leaders from the BJP have reacted, you yourself reacted.
00:11The Congress's charge, Mr. Rajiju, is that patriarchy is not restricted to religion,
00:16while you have, somewhere down the line, put it into binaries of Hindu and Muslim.
00:22See, it's a very serious issue for me personally, because I'm also the Minister for Minority Affairs.
00:29When leader of opposition talks about smash the patriarchy,
00:34that means it is basically he wants to say that the females should be given freedom,
00:41females should have their own way of life.
00:43Then I questioned him, what about the Muslim women?
00:46Are Muslims not our babies, our sisters?
00:50What about those who want to have a Sharia law?
00:54What about the triple talaq?
00:55What about the millions of Muslim girls subjected to polygamy and tortures and all?
01:03Why are you talking about Manus humility and only Hindu culture?
01:07So it is a design to hit the Hindu culture.
01:11It's a larger conspiracy.
01:12That is why, not this time, but I had stated earlier, that why India was subjugated by the foreign rules
01:21for over thousands of years.
01:23That is because half of the Hindus themselves are not supporting the Hindu cause or Hindu culture.
01:32Because if you are targeting or try to weaken your own Hindu structure, then you are going to weaken your
01:43own community.
01:43If there are bad practices in Hinduism, that must be called out.
01:50Sati has been declared as invalid or crime, or child marriage has been declared as null and void.
01:58Polygamy, this is declared non-valid now.
02:02So this kind of many practices, even many social reformers have come.
02:08They have not abused Hinduism.
02:11They have asked for reforms within the Hinduism.
02:14So the issue is a larger one.
02:15If the leader of opposition had targeted everybody, saying that no religion should have this kind of binding control over
02:24the daughters and the girls, then I would have said, oh, this is a good one.
02:27But you are connecting Manus humility and then, you know, smash the patriarchy, only targeting Hindu, not mentioning about triple
02:36talaq.
02:37Muslim women come to me.
02:39Muslim women come to me.
02:40I have met since I have become Minister for Minority Affairs.
02:43I have interacted with so many Muslim women, the girls.
02:47They equally deserve the support of the government.
02:50The Congress have to answer what Shah Bono case teach us.
02:57Rajiv Gandhi himself changed the law itself under the pressure of the clerics.
03:03So that is why I said that if you take a stand, take a universal stand.
03:10Don't target one community.
03:11That is my point.
03:12So you're saying as the leader of opposition, it was the responsibility of Rahul Gandhi to touch on patriarchy in
03:18every religion, not just one religion.
03:20Speak about all religion.
03:22Sir, away from politics.
03:24You know, you're a practicing Buddhist.
03:26I'm a young woman.
03:27I'm a practicing Hindu.
03:28And I do feel and I would think it's something that we know that Hinduism is one of the most
03:33liberal religions in the world.
03:35Absolutely.
03:36It is – it's open to question.
03:38It encourages debate and discourse.
03:41So when we speak of Manusmriti, there are lots of young women out there who are looking at the government
03:46in power today and saying that why must we, women of this country, adhere to texts that might be part
03:55of a civilizational history but are deeply problematic and patriarchal.
04:00And Manusmriti has excerpts which are – why shouldn't we denounce them?
04:04Exactly.
04:05That's what I'm saying.
04:06The government is not putting Manusmriti as the yardstick to government.
04:13India is run by the constitution.
04:15The spirit of a constitution governs, not Manusmriti.
04:18Manusmriti is a belief system.
04:19If somebody believes in it, then you have a right to oppose and you have a right to defend.
04:24That is democracy.
04:25If somebody is supporting something which is they're prescribed in Manusmriti, that is his right.
04:34In democracy, how can you say that you don't – you can't subscribe to that?
04:39True.
04:40So that is why I said when Sonia Gandhiji and Raul Gandhiji said that we cannot tolerate RSS.
04:47So you don't subscribe to RSS means let it be, no?
04:51Those who believe, let them believe.
05:02This kind of attack, this kind of concerted attack against RSS has made RSS the largest social organization in the
05:11world.
05:11And this kind of concerted campaign against Modi ji made Modi ji the most popular leader, not only of India,
05:19but of the world.
05:20That is why you should not make this kind of regulated campaign, which is actually trying to mislead the people.
05:29My point is if you don't subscribe to any religious text, you object to that or you raise your opinion
05:37which is different from the other person.
05:41But don't say that the other person doesn't have a right to believe such a way.
05:44No, I hear you, sir.
05:45You just said that you don't subscribe to certain things.
05:48That is your right.
05:49No, I hear you and I'm glad you're saying this because I'll tell you why.
05:52Because you said sometimes there's perception.
05:54There is perception, sir, that, you know, and it has been bolstered by certain leaders from your party.
06:00That if you say anything, don't say your party, everybody is independent and everybody is a citizen of India.
06:07And they're allowed.
06:08So there, there are people who will have their own opinion.
06:12True.
06:13Only if BJP has certain guideline, I will not go against the BJP guideline or my party's policy.
06:19But with regards to your social movement and your religious belief, how does government control your religious belief system?
06:28I, I 100% hear you.
06:30So let me ask you a question, which is devoid from politics.
06:33If a young girl out there today says that I want to denounce Manusmriti and paths in which they, or
06:41those paths which are patriarchal in nature, should she be labeled anti-Hindu?
06:46Those who have left Hinduism and embraced Buddhism with Ambedkarji, has anybody been jailed?
06:53And lakhs of people, those who were called as untouchable, they renounced Hinduism and they embraced Buddhism.
07:05I agree.
07:06On 14th October 1956 also thereafter also.
07:10Hindu is the only liberal religion which has allowed this to happen.
07:15Can this happen in Christianity?
07:17True, I agree with you.
07:18Can this happen in Islam?
07:20Islam, no.
07:20No.
07:21You try in any of the Islamic nations, try to get this very Islam believer converting into another religion.
07:29I agree.
07:30So please appreciate Hinduism.
07:32100% you are right.
07:33Hinduism is the only philosophy which has given so much of freedom.
07:36100% sir.
07:38So that's why I agree because we are unlike other religions.
07:41Hinduism is unlike, like you said Christianity, unlike Islam.
07:44It gives me the reason and the space and a safe space to question my religion.
07:49So that's all I'm asking.
07:50So I'm not, not me.
07:52If a girl out there says I don't want to subscribe to it, so she's not anti-Hindu.
07:56But who has jailed them, I'm asking you?
07:58Not jailed sir, but there are a lot.
07:59I'll tell you why.
08:00Calling is difference of opinion, but how can somebody be jailed only because or treated
08:08as illegal or taken action only because one has given the opinion.
08:12But if you say you want to break India, cut chicken neck and break North East, I will
08:17be the first person to tell he should be convicted.
08:20Of course.
08:20And we'll get to that also because you have given a full detail.
08:23We'll get to that later.
08:24Asdaだけ has been replied, they are American roots.
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