{"id":34392,"date":"2026-08-23T18:30:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T13:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/smriti-irani-demands-rahul-gandhi-support-women-reservation-vande-mataram\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T18:30:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T13:00:35","slug":"smriti-irani-demands-rahul-gandhi-support-women-reservation-vande-mataram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/smriti-irani-demands-rahul-gandhi-support-women-reservation-vande-mataram\/","title":{"rendered":"Smriti Irani Demands Rahul Gandhi Support Women Reservation &#038; Vande Mataram"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" id=\"\">\n<div class=\"f3e032cb\"><picture class=\"c62bd949\" style=\"visibility:visible\"><source media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/360x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/dbgifmagic821787485978534_1787486569.gif\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/512x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/dbgifmagic821787485978534_1787486569.gif\"\/><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/dbgifmagic821787485978534_1787486569.gif\" alt=\"\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"f97587ba\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">BJP General Secretary Smriti Irani on Sunday demanded that Rahul Gandhi first support the implementation of women\u2019s reservation in the country.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:0\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">She said that if Gandhi genuinely supports women, he should prove it by backing the implementation of 33% reservation and singing the complete version of Vande Mataram.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">Irani also demanded that the entire Vande Mataram, including the verses invoking Goddess Durga, be sung at the Congress headquarters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">The 33% women\u2019s reservation law, which provides for greater representation of women in Parliament and state assemblies, has already been passed by Parliament.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:0\"\/><span style=\"font-size:0\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">Irani\u2019s remarks came after Rahul Gandhi\u2019s \u2018Chhatraon Ki Goonj\u2019 event in Pune, where he urged young women to challenge and end patriarchy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\"><span class=\"e913fbaa d3886593\"><strong>Rahul Gandhi urged women to end patriarchy<\/strong><\/span><strong\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"f3e032cb\"><picture class=\"c62bd949\" style=\"visibility:visible\"><source media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/360x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/comp1coverrahu17874088300631787485355876_1787485630.gif\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/512x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/comp1coverrahu17874088300631787485355876_1787485630.gif\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/comp1coverrahu17874088300631787485355876_1787485630.gif\" alt=\"Rahul Gandhi spoke to girl students on Saturday at the AISSMS (All India Shri Shivaji Memorial Society) College Ground in Pune.\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"f97587ba\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><span>Rahul Gandhi spoke to girl students on Saturday at the AISSMS (All India Shri Shivaji Memorial Society) College Ground in Pune.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">Rahul Gandhi spoke to female students at his \u2018Chhatraon Ki Goonj\u2019 event in Pune on Saturday. He urged them to \u2018end patriarchy\u2019 and criticised what he called the &#8216;Manusmriti mindset&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">Gandhi said this mindset forces women to live under the authority of male relatives at different stages of their lives. He also claimed that violence is used in society to prevent women from progressing and that 80% of women face harassment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\"><span class=\"e913fbaa d3886593\"><strong>Congress says it will sing only two stanzas of Vande Mataram<\/strong><\/span><strong\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">The Congress has clarified its position on Vande Mataram. On August 19, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said the party would follow the decision taken at the 1937 Congress session, under which only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram would be sung at party events.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">Venugopal said Vande Mataram and the national anthem are matters of emotion for the Congress, whereas the BJP treats them as political issues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">The Constituent Assembly accorded Vande Mataram the status of India\u2019s national song in 1950. The song has six stanzas in total.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\"><span class=\"e913fbaa d3886593\"><strong>BJP claims Vande Mataram was stopped at Congress headquarters<\/strong><\/span><strong\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">A controversy has erupted over the singing of Vande Mataram during the Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters on August 15. The BJP has alleged that Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress president attempted to stop the song.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">According to the BJP, Vande Mataram was being sung when Sonia Gandhi turned around and made a gesture. Rahul Gandhi also gestured and appeared to ask something.<\/p>\n<div class=\"f3e032cb\"><picture class=\"c62bd949\" style=\"visibility:visible\"><source media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/360x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/61787154374957_1787486740.gif\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/512x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/61787154374957_1787486740.gif\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/61787154374957_1787486740.gif\" alt=\"Vande Mataram was being sung, when Sonia turned back and gestured. Rahul also gestured and asked something.\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"f97587ba\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><span>Vande Mataram was being sung, when Sonia turned back and gestured. Rahul also gestured and asked something.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"f3e032cb\"><picture class=\"c62bd949\" style=\"visibility:visible\"><source media=\"(max-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/360x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/61787154374957_1787486765.gif\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/webp\/thumb\/512x0\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/61787154374957_1787486765.gif\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/images.bhaskarassets.com\/web2images\/1884\/2026\/08\/23\/61787154374957_1787486765.gif\" alt=\"A staff member approached party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Kharge whispered something into his ear, and Sonia then spoke to him.\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"f97587ba\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><span>A staff member approached party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Kharge whispered something into his ear, and Sonia then spoke to him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\"><span class=\"e913fbaa d3886593\"><strong>2026 Law made against insulting Vande Mataram<\/strong><\/span><strong\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">The Constituent Assembly declared &#8216;Vande Mataram&#8217; as the national song on January 24, 1950. For a long time, there was no separate law prohibiting insults to it, but in the 2026 monsoon session, the central government enacted the &#8216;Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">Under this law, intentionally preventing, obstructing, or publicly insulting the singing of &#8220;Vande Mataram&#8221; is a punishable offense. Such acts are punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine, or both.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"word-break:break-word;text-align:left;white-space:pre-line\">This time, for the first time, during the Independence Day celebrations on 15th August, the entire 6 verses of &#8216;Vande Mataram&#8217; were sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size:0\"\/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BJP General Secretary Smriti Irani on Sunday demanded that Rahul Gandhi first support the implementation of women\u2019s reservation in the country. She said that if Gandhi genuinely supports women, he should prove it by backing the implementation of 33% reservation and singing the complete version of Vande Mataram. Irani also demanded that the entire Vande&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":34393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[94,95,22208,22107,28942,26475,26926,30743],"class_list":["post-34392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nation","tag-bjp","tag-congress","tag-indian-politics","tag-rahul-gandhi","tag-smriti-irani","tag-vande-mataram","tag-women-empowerment","tag-women-reservation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34392"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34392\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/petrolnews.in\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}