Rahul Gandhi Accuses Modi Government of Failing Women Through Dysfunctional One Stop Centres
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing critique on Sunday, highlighting severe operational failures in the Centre's One Stop Centres (OSCs) designed to support women affected by violence. Gandhi asserted that the "Modi government is not listening to anyone" and emphasized that safety is a fundamental government responsibility, not merely a scheme.
"Women Knocking on Locked Doors"
In a post on his WhatsApp channel, Gandhi posed a series of pointed questions about the OSCs. "Women are knocking on doors for help, yet the government has kept those doors shut," he stated. "I asked in Parliament: When a woman flees violence and reaches a One Stop Centre (OSC) - why does she not receive help? Why does she find the doors locked instead? Why is there a shortage of staff? Why are complaints from across the country going unheard?"
Gandhi challenged the government's claim that everything is 'satisfactory', questioning why reports of persistent problems continue to emerge if that were truly the case.
Alarming Statistics and Fund Underutilization
The former Congress president raised alarming concerns about the scheme's effectiveness and financial management:
- Help Failing to Reach Majority: Gandhi asked why help still fails to reach three out of every five women if safety is a genuine priority.
- Severe Fund Underutilization: He highlighted that only 60 paise out of every Rs 100 allocated to the Ministry of Women and Child Development is being spent on OSCs.
"Safety is not merely a scheme; it is a fundamental responsibility of the government," Gandhi reiterated. "Dismissing everything as 'satisfactory' does not ensure safety; it merely demonstrates that the Modi government is not listening to anyone."
Parliamentary Questions Reveal Systemic Issues
In his Lok Sabha question on March 27, Gandhi sought detailed accountability on multiple fronts:
- Whether numerous OSCs remain locked, non-functional, or fail to operate round-the-clock as mandated, along with state-wise and year-wise details.
- The number of women who have sought assistance and shelter at OSCs, and crimes against women registered over the last five years.
- Operational OSCs and new centres opened during the last five years, with state-wise and year-wise breakdowns.
- Funds released and utilized for OSCs during this period, including reasons for underutilization.
- Sanctioned versus filled posts in OSCs across various roles like administrators, case workers, counsellors, medical officers, and police.
- Whether the Ministry has examined complaints of mismanagement or guideline violations, with details of actions taken.
Government's Defense and Evaluation Reports
In her written reply, Minister of State Savitri Thakur outlined the OSC framework under the Sambal vertical of Mission Shakti. She explained that OSCs provide integrated support including medical aid, legal assistance, temporary shelter, police help, and psycho-social counselling to women in distress.
Thakur reported that since April 1, 2015, up to December 31, 2025, over 13.37 lakh women have been assisted nationwide, providing state and UT-wise details of OSC operations.
The minister emphasized that overall implementation rests with state governments and UT administrations. She cited two third-party evaluations conducted through NITI Aayog in 2020 and 2025, which assessed the Mission Shakti Umbrella Scheme and its OSC components.
"The studies have found the relevance, effectiveness and sustainability of the scheme as satisfactory," Thakur stated, defending the government's position against Gandhi's criticisms.
The exchange underscores a deepening political divide over women's safety initiatives, with Gandhi positioning the OSCs as emblematic of governmental neglect while the administration points to evaluation reports and assistance numbers to counter these claims.
