Chouhan Questions Viral Protest Slogans as Delhi Women Demand Safer Streets
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the country must seriously consider why young women feel the need to raise slogans about their own safety, after videos from women-led protests in Delhi circulated widely on social media.
His remarks came amid demonstrations over the alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old at Aastha Kunj Park, near Lady Shri Ram College in south Delhi — an incident that has renewed public debate on safety in the capital's public spaces.
In a post on X that included a video of him speaking at an event, Chouhan referred to one slogan doing the rounds online and said the situation warranted reflection. "Why has the situation come to this, that our daughters have to chant slogans like 'One kachori, two samosas'? We must think seriously about this," he said.
The protests have produced a series of rhyming slogans that have spread quickly across Instagram, X and other platforms. Most use everyday food and household imagery and criticise men collectively, reflecting the anger among students over harassment and unsafe public spaces. The slogans have become part of the online vocabulary surrounding the demonstrations.
Chouhan called for a collective commitment to the safety and dignity of women. "We must take a resolve — we will respect our sisters and daughters, we will ensure their safety, and we will protect their rights," he said.
The first major demonstration was held on September 23, when about 200 students from Delhi University and its affiliated institutions — among them Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Miranda House, Gargi College and Dr B R Ambedkar University — took to the streets. On September 25, hundreds of women students marched near Delhi University's South Campus, demanding safer public spaces and stronger action against sexual harassment. Another demonstration was later held at the Faculty of Arts.
Civic and security agencies have since announced a series of measures. The Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi conducted safety audits of public parks, with attention to lighting, security personnel at entry and exit points, and patrolling after sundown. Delhi Police also stepped up patrolling across parks and other areas.
All three accused in the Aastha Kunj case have been arrested, according to PTI. One of them was pursuing a law course, while another was arrested following an encounter with Delhi Police.
The issue has drawn reactions across the political spectrum. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, backed the student-led protests. "Stop punishing women for the crimes committed against them. Across our country, women are afraid to walk the streets, afraid of being harassed, afraid of being raped. And the government's answer: stay at home," he said. Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also questioned restrictions placed on women.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said women's safety should not come at the cost of restricting their freedom. She said her government was strengthening safety infrastructure, including 50,000 CCTV cameras and one lakh streetlights across the city.
The protests have placed renewed focus on how the capital plans to make parks, streets and campuses safer, particularly after dark. The demands raised by the students — better lighting, visible policing and faster action on complaints of harassment — remain the central questions before the Delhi government and the city's civic bodies.
