‘You are insulting India’s heritage, provoking youth’: Yogi Adityanath targets Rahul Gandhi over Manusmriti remark

'You are insulting India's heritage, provoking youth': Yogi Adityanath targets Rahul Gandhi over Manusmriti remark CM Yogi Adityanath notes Congress divided the country and society, strangled the Constitution to weaken social unity with foreign capital.

Key points

• #WATCH Raebareli: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath notes, Lately, I was reading a statement created by the Member of Parliament from Raebareli, Rahul Gandhi.
• The Chief Minister continued, You (Gandhi) may or may not believe in Manusmriti, but do not state things which are factually incorrect.
• The calendar system followed by every Sanatani was not given by Rahul Gandhi's forefathers but by Manu, he remarked.
• The Congress and its leaders, he continued, represented Raebareli and Amethi for the longest time but did not honour the heroes of India's freedom struggle.
• But now, Raebareli transformed under the BJP-led governments, he asserted, adding that its name is now being taken with pride not only in Uttar Pradesh but nationwide.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday hit out at Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on Manusmriti, alleging the Congress MP was not only insulting India's traditions and heritage but additionally inciting the country's youth.

Addressing a programme in Raebareli where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 346 development projects worth Rs 879 crore, the CM remarked, "Your values may not align with India's traditions, but you should not play with the present generation. You should instead set an example through the conduct projected of a responsible leader."

While interacting with girl students in Maharashtra on Saturday, had criticised the "Manusmriti mindset", pressed them to "smash patriarchy" and stated women belonged to themselves, not to their fathers, husbands or sons, gandhi.

Targeting Gandhi in his Lok Sabha constituency, Adityanath referred to the girl who created an "objectionable remark" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Jantar Mantar protests in New Delhi who afterwards apologised. "She and her parents apologised within a week, " he quipped.

#WATCH Raebareli: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath notes, Lately, I was reading a statement created by the Member of Parliament from Raebareli, Rahul Gandhi. He created a statement in Maharashtra urging women to break free from the shackles of the Manusmriti. Rahul ji, the country. Pic.twitter.com/vXiLbs6FWz. ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2026.

Notably, the Chief Minister continued, "You (Gandhi) may or may not believe in Manusmriti, but do not state things which are factually incorrect. You tell daughters to come out of Manusmriti. Manu finds praise in the Atharvaveda, Shatapatha Brahmana, Mahabharata and Matsya Purana. Why do you insult him?"

Notably, the calendar system followed by every Sanatani was not given by Rahul Gandhi's forefathers but by Manu, he remarked.

"The Congress divided the country and society, strangled the Constitution and then, by following a policy of appeasement, sought to weaken India's social unity with the help of foreign money, " he alleged.

Referring to SP president Akhilesh Yadav as "Babua". It he often does, Adityanath remarked Yadav produced a statement claiming their party did not split since five MPs belonged to his family only. "He does not consider the remaining MPs capable of anything, " he remarked.

In practice, the Congress, SP and their allies are trying to undermine India's security and the identity of the state as well as the country, the CM remarked.

On the Raebareli constituency, Adityanath remarked earlier residents called it a "VIP district and parliamentary constituency".

"But the region still suffered from neglect, disorder and deprivation, and the poor were deprived of the benefits of administration schemes. Raebareli and Amethi have been means of securing a vote bank for Rahul Gandhi. He criticizes Uttar Pradesh outside the state and India outside the country. He puts soldiers in the dock and misleads the youth, but the youth will not be misled, " he asserted.

"The Congress and its leaders, he continued, represented Raebareli and Amethi for the longest time but did not honour the heroes of India's freedom struggle. The Congress and the Samajwadi party respect only their families. Every goon in the state, district, region or town finds himself ideologically close to the SP, " the CM alleged.

Taking a swipe at successive Congress governments, Adityanath referred to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's widely cited observation that only 15 paise of every rupee sent by the Centre reached the intended beneficiaries. While claiming that the BJP governments had ensured greater delivery of welfare schemes to the poor, "This was because the remaining money was siphoned off by people associated with the Congress and Samajwadi Party, " Adityanath remarked.

In practice, the Chief Minister highlighted the modern coach factory in Raebareli as an example of the district's changing industrial profile. He remarked the factory, established in 2012 during the Congress-led UPA era, produced 2, 106 coaches in 2025-26 under his administration, describing it as a "record production" figure.

Adityanath remarked for the first time, a complete Vande Bharat train set was rolled out from the modern coach factory in May 2026, aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision.

Development was essential for creating jobs, increasing farmers' incomes and supporting workers and artisans, Adityanath remarked. He credited the BJP governments for accelerating development in Raebareli and pressed residents to backing the process.

You cannot bring development. You have no interest in the development of Raebareli. As a responsible leader, you should conduct yourself in a manner that sets an example before the individuals.

"For the longest period, Congress and individuals backed by Congress have represented Raebareli and Amethi, but they never worked to honour the revolutionaries and heroes who fought for India's freedom. They believe honour should be reserved for only one family and it is only their family, " Adityanath remarked.

Taken together, the developments around 'You are insulting India's heritage, provoking youth': Yogi Adityanath targets Rahul Gandhi point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.