India, Aug. 24 -- Rahul Gandhi's attempt to make women's autonomy the centrepiece of his latest youth outreach has quickly turned into a wider political argument over Manusmriti, patriarchy, religious practices and the Congress leader's approach to women's rights.

Speaking at the fourth edition of his 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Pune on Saturday (August 22), the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha told young women that their identities should not be defined only by their relationships with men.

He criticised what he described as a patriarchal mindset and invoked a passage from the Manusmriti to argue that women should not be treated as dependent on fathers, husbands or sons.

He also urged women to "smash the patriarchy" and told...