Detailed Fact-check:
The claim that Gandhi was indifferent to women’s rights is misleading. In fact, Gandhi was one of the most prominent advocates for women’s participation in India’s political and social life. He recognized the critical role women could play in the Indian freedom movement and encouraged them to step into public life, often in direct defiance of the patriarchal norms of the time.
Gandhi promoted the idea of Swaraj (self-rule) as a collective mission that could only be achieved if women were involved. He urged women to participate in nonviolent protests, the Salt March, the boycott of British goods, and the spinning of khadi. Gandhi also took a strong stand against social evils such as child marriage, dowry, and the mistreatment of widows. His ashrams, such as the Sabarmati Ashram, became centers where women received equal opportunities to contribute to the national struggle.
However, Gandhi’s views on women were complex and sometimes traditional. He believed in celibacy and promoted ideals of modesty, which some modern feminists have critiqued. Nonetheless, his active encouragement of women’s participation in the freedom struggle and his commitment to improving their status in society makes the claim that he was indifferent to their plight inaccurate.

Notes and References:
• Madhu Kishwar, Gandhi on Women: Collection of Articles, (Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 20, No. 40, 1985), pp. 1691-1702.
• Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie, Gandhi’s Prisoner? The Life of Gandhi’s Son, Manilal, (Permanent Black, 2004), pp. 201-204.
• D.G. Tendulkar, Mahatma: Life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Vol. 4, (Delhi: Publications Division, Government of India, 1961), pp. 110-116.
• CWMG, Vol. 65, pp. 30-35.