Priyanka Gandhi Backs LSR Students’ Protest, Says Women Cannot Be Expected to Live in Fear

Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has backed the ongoing protest by women students of Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) over safety concerns, saying women should not be expected to accept fear and injustice as part of their daily lives.
Supporting the students’ demand for their concerns to be heard and for better protection, Priyanka said the protests were not limited to a particular college or a single incident. She described them as part of a wider struggle for the safety and dignity of women.
Priyanka said she was proud of the LSR students and women from other colleges who had raised their voices against violence against women. She questioned why women should have to live in fear, tolerate injustice or face restrictions while those responsible for crimes escape accountability.
She also urged women to stand together and ensure that their voices are heard, stressing that the issue concerns women as a whole and should not be treated merely as a campus-specific grievance.
Protests follow alleged gang rape near Kalkaji
Priyanka’s remarks come amid protests by students of LSR and other Delhi University colleges following the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji earlier this month.
The incident triggered concerns about the security of students and women around educational institutions. The apprehension of an accused following a police encounter near the back gate of LSR further heightened concerns among students.
LSR students have raised questions about the alleged assault as well as the broader conditions in which women are expected to travel and move around the national capital.
Their concerns include inadequate lighting, insufficient police patrolling, non-functional CCTV cameras and alleged inactivity at Pink Police Booths in areas surrounding the college.
Protests spread to other Delhi University colleges
The demonstrations have since extended beyond LSR, with students from Gargi College, Miranda House and Kamala Nehru College joining marches calling for safer public spaces and greater accountability from authorities.
During one of the protests, students argued that limiting women’s movement cannot be treated as an alternative to ensuring that streets and other public spaces are safe.
The incident also had an immediate impact on LSR. The college temporarily suspended physical classes and shifted to online teaching, reflecting the concerns among students, particularly those staying in paying guest accommodation and travelling through the surrounding neighbourhood.
Students seek safer public spaces
For the protesting students, the issue extends beyond security arrangements at the college gates. They have questioned approaches to crimes against women that place restrictions on women instead of addressing unsafe public spaces and ensuring accountability for those responsible.
Priyanka’s support has added political weight to the students’ demands, as the protests continue to focus attention on women’s safety, public infrastructure and the responsibility of authorities to provide secure spaces for women across Delhi.