Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “smash the patriarchy” remark, amid the social media uproar surrounding actor Kriti Sanon’s outfit in a Raksha
Bandhan jewellery advertisement.
Ranaut shared a post from the BJP’s Instagram account that took aim at Gandhi’s comments and responded, “Bro, wait. Bharat Mata ki Jay. Shuru karte hain,” directly referencing his call to “smash the patriarchy”.
BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Smash The Patriarchy’ Remark
The BJP’s post was structured as a series of illustrated exchanges questioning the Congress’ record and positions on issues related to women.
One panel shows Gandhi saying, “Smash the Patriarchy!”, to which a woman responds, “Bro, wait. Bharat Mata ki Jay. Shuru karte hai.”
Another exchange has Gandhi reiterating, “Again, whole vote bank game bro, but Smash the Patriarchy!” The woman counters, “Par your party voted against the Women’s Reservation Bill initially.”
The conversation then turns to triple talaq, with Gandhi saying, “Aree, that was total vote bank politics, but Smash the Patriarchy anyway!” The woman responds with a terse, “Triple Talaq?”
In another panel, Gandhi says, “Break the cage!”, followed by the woman asking, “Shah Bano?”
The final illustration raises the issue of women’s representation in the Karnataka Cabinet, stating: “Karnataka cabinet me 33 ministers hain aapke, par ek bhi woman nahi.” Gandhi is shown responding, “Aree… ohh… hmmm…”
Also Read: Kriti Sanon Breaks Silence On Raksha Bandhan Ad Backlash: ‘When Will We Stop Telling Women What To Wear?’
Rahul Gandhi Backs Kriti Sanon Amid Outfit Row
Ranaut’s response came after Gandhi defended Sanon amid criticism of her appearance in a 36-second jewellery advertisement released for Raksha Bandhan.
In an Instagram Story on Tuesday, Gandhi shared Sanon’s response to the controversy and wrote: “What a woman wears, what she does and where she goes–is her choice,” before adding, “Stop trolling women for exercising their freedom,” along with the hashtag “smash the patriarchy.”
Sanon had faced criticism over an Indo-Western outfit featuring a bralette and skirt in the advertisement, in which she is seen tying a Rakhi to her brother and her pet dog.
The campaign prompted a wider social media debate over women’s clothing, individual choice and the portrayal of Indian traditions during Raksha Bandhan. Some users described Sanon’s outfit as inappropriate for the festival.
Kangana Criticises Sanon’s Outfit
Before responding to Gandhi, Ranaut herself had criticised Sanon’s appearance in the advertisement.
Also Read: ‘Her Choice, Stop Trolling’: Rahul Gandhi Backs Kriti Sanon After Raksha Bandhan Ad Backlash
In an Instagram Story, she wrote: “It’s a wonderful time to be a woman, our closets are full of variety of clothes, today’s woman is a global woman, from cocktail dresses to lehenga cholis, jeans to saris, bikinis to salwar kameez.”
She went on to question Sanon’s choice for the festive advertisement, writing, “From all the options that are available to us today why would you tie your brother a Rakhi in your bikini/ undergarments? Where are all your styling options? Ha ha the advert looks intentionally creepy.”
Ranaut had questioned whether such an outfit was appropriate for an advertisement centred on a traditional Indian festival, while some other social media users also criticised Sanon’s clothing.
Sanon Responds To Criticism
After largely staying away from the debate initially, Sanon addressed the criticism through an Instagram Story.
“Culture & Traditions are in her heart, not in her neckline!.. Also, when will we stop telling women what to wear?? Ethnic fashion has evolved over the years, but still a woman’s respect for her culture is measured with just her clothes,” she said.
Sanon argued that festivals should be understood through the emotions and values attached to traditions rather than clothing.
She further explained her decision to include her pet dog in the Raksha Bandhan celebration, saying: “Rakshabandhan is a bond of protection. My sister and I tie rakhi to each other. We know we can protect each other no less than a brother would have.
“We pray for each other’s health, happiness & long life. And for us, this prayer and promise extends to our dogs too! After all, they are family,” she added.
Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Smash Patriarchy’ Remarks
Gandhi’s latest comments on the Sanon controversy came days after he spoke about patriarchy during his interaction with girl students at the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” outreach programme.
He criticised what he described as a “Manusmriti mindset” and urged the students to “smash patriarchy”, arguing that women should have autonomy over their own lives rather than being treated as subordinate to fathers, husbands or sons.
The exchange between Gandhi and Ranaut has now added a political dimension to the controversy that initially centred on Sanon’s clothing and the representation of Raksha Bandhan in the advertisement.
