New Delhi, Aug. 24 -- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Smriti Irani on Sunday asked Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to validate his words on supporting women by backing the implementation of the 33% reservation for them in legislatures.

The remarks came a day after the Congress leader, at the Pune leg of his "Chhatron Ki Goonj" campaign on Saturday, described women as the "strength of India" and urged them to fight for their space and stand up against patriarchal norms. Interacting with girl students at the event, Gandhi urged them to "smash patriarchy" and lashed out at "Manusmriti mindset", claiming that it forces a woman to remain under the authority of male relatives at every stage of her...