'The way we treat our women...': Rahul Gandhi explains India's challenge

Rahul Gandhi said there should be no reason for women to fear walking alone at night.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday batted for women's rights in the country and termed financial independence as the foundation of empowering women.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacts with a girl during the inauguration of a Railway platform at Vaniyambalam in Wandoor on Monday. (ANI Photo)

Gandhi's remarks came during his address at the Silver Jubilee Inauguration of Cherukode Women’s Cooperative Bank in Malappuram in Kerala. Gandhi had reached Calicut International Airport on Sunday to attend a padayatra in poll-bound Kerala.

Stating that no country can be successful without empowering its women, Gandhi said, "I'm one of the people who are convinced that no country can be successful without empowering its women. If there's one challenge that our country faces, it's precisely the way we treat our women. You can see it in newspapers every single day," Gandhi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI in Malapurram.

Gandhi said there should be no reason for women to fear walking alone at night.

"There's no reason why our women should be scared of walking alone at night. I think if this country has to be successful, that's one of the most important things it has to focus on," Gandhi said.

If you look at empowering women, their financial independence is the foundation of that, suggested Gandhi.

"We can keep saying women are empowered but unless our women are financially empowered, it means nothing. That's where I value what a cooperative bank does. It trains women in how to deal with money," Gandhi said.

Gandhi has consistently backed women empowerment in his public addresses.

He had recently remarked on the killing of two girls in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh and slammed the chief minister Yogi Adityanath's handling of women's safety in the state.

"Not only of the Dalit society, but the UP government is also crushing women honour and human rights. But they should remember that I and the entire Congress Party stand as the voice of the victims and will continue to provide justice to them," Gandhi said.