Photo Source: ANI
"Solution is not to lock women inside": Rahul Gandhi backs Delhi students' protests, urges Gen Z to raise voice
New Delhi, September 29, 2026 (ANI): Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday backed student-led protests demanding greater safety for women and urged young women, particularly those from Gen Z, to participate in larger numbers.
In a post on X, the Congress leader said women should not be subjected to restrictions because of crimes committed against them and called for safer public spaces and stronger action against perpetrators.
“Stop punishing women for the crimes committed against them. Across our country, women are afraid to walk the streets, afraid of being harassed, afraid of being raped. And the government’s answer: stay at home,” Gandhi said.
“This is patriarchy at work: a system that blames the victim and shields the criminal. It is time to smash it,” he added.
Gandhi said the response to crimes against women should focus on making public spaces safer and ensuring that those responsible for offences are dealt with swiftly.
“The solution is not to lock women inside. It is to make our streets safe, to confront the mindset of men who mistreat women, and to punish those who attack them, swiftly and without exception,” he said.
His remarks came amid a series of protests by Delhi University students over women's safety following the alleged gangrape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park in south Delhi earlier this month.
The first major demonstration was held on September 23, when around 200 students from Delhi University and affiliated institutions, including Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Miranda House, Gargi College and Dr BR Ambedkar University, took to the streets. Students and faculty members raised concerns over harassment around campuses, inadequate surveillance and policing, and the safety of women travelling to and from educational institutions.
The protests continued over the following days. On September 25, hundreds of women students marched near Delhi University's South Campus, demanding safer public spaces and stronger action against sexual harassment. The protesters were later moved from Siri Fort Road to Arun Jaitley Park amid police deployment.
On Monday, another demonstration was held at the Faculty of Arts, with hundreds of Delhi University students, primarily women and queer participants, taking part. It was reported as the third and largest demonstration in a week. Students highlighted concerns including poorly lit roads, safety during daily commutes, and restrictions placed on women in the name of security.
Students have also pointed to specific safety concerns around campuses. Students of Lady Shri Ram College raised issues including poorly lit roads, inadequate police presence, non-operational Pink Booths and difficulties in accessing help during emergencies.
The safety concerns gained further attention after Delhi Police registered an FIR following an allegation by two Delhi University students that they were followed and sexually harassed by men in an SUV near Hakikat Park in Mukherjee Nagar. Police said the accused allegedly made indecent remarks and fled after the women began recording the incident.
Amid the protests, the Delhi University Students' Union also launched a WhatsApp helpline through which students can report unsafe or poorly lit areas by sharing geo-tagged photographs. The students' body said it would take up the concerns with relevant authorities.
Lady Shri Ram College, located close to Aastha Kunj Park, had temporarily shifted classes online following the alleged incident. The college subsequently resumed offline classes and announced a students' security council to coordinate with police and the administration on campus security.
The issue has also triggered political reactions. AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the Delhi government's handling of women's safety following the Aastha Kunj Park incident and raised concerns over the safety of women and students in the national capital.
In a post on X, Bharadwaj said, “What did Delhi achieve from BJP's lady CM? A 17-year-old getting gang-raped by three men on her birthday while returning from Kalkaji Temple. Even a prestigious college like LSR is forced to hold online classes.”
Bharadwaj also raised broader concerns over crimes against women and said, “Child rapes, gang rapes and molestations every day.” His remarks were part of his criticism of the Delhi government's handling of law and order and women's safety.
Speaking to ANI separately on September 23, Bharadwaj said the alleged rape had taken place near Nehru Place and questioned how such an incident could occur in a populated part of the national capital. He said, “The park is right behind Nehru Place. It is not as if a girl was raped in some remote, far-flung area,” while raising concerns over safety arrangements.
The protests have also prompted institutional responses. Apart from the LSR security council and the DUSU helpline, students have demanded improvements in street lighting, police patrolling, public transport and security infrastructure around educational institutions.
Against this backdrop, Gandhi referred to the ongoing mobilisation in his post and urged more young women to participate. He further said that peaceful demonstrations were a democratic right and expressed support for those participating in the protests.
The continuing demonstrations have placed women's safety, policing around educational institutions, public infrastructure and the freedom of women to travel and access public spaces at the centre of a renewed public debate in Delhi. (ANI)