logo
Rahul Gandhi's Interaction With Bihar Woman Goes Viral. The Topic: Marriage

Rahul Gandhi's Interaction With Bihar Woman Goes Viral. The Topic: Marriage

NDTV18 hours ago

New Delhi:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bihar led to an interesting interaction between him and Riya Paswan, also known as 'Pad Girl' on social media. During a Mahila Samwad programme in Gaya, Ms Paswan told Rahul Gandhi that he had inspired her to join politics.
She then added that just like him, she will never get married.
In a video, shared on X (formerly Twitter), Ms Paswan, who lives in a slum area, said she owed her progress in life to the Shakti Abhiyan, an initiative by the Congress to increase women participation in politics. Ms Paswan explained that politics is the first step to improve different sectors, such as education, but many people do not join the field, especially women.
'We have a very big team in the slum areas. We made this during the Shakti Abhiyan itself. We try to solve the small problems of the people. Now it has become such that if people have any problem, they come to us,' she added.
Impressed by her confidence, Rahul Gandhi replied, 'You give good speeches.'
An excited Riya Paswan added, 'Like you, I am also thinking of never getting married,' prompting laughter from the audience.
She continued, 'I want to become a leader and work for the public. I want to join politics because when I entered the Shakti Abhiyan, I realised what politics actually is.'
Riya Paswan gained fame in 2022 when she questioned a bureaucrat, IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra, about providing free sanitary pads.
Rahul Gandhi was on a one-day trip to Bihar on June 6, ahead of the Assembly elections, which are expected to be held in November.
He criticised the JDU and BJP-led state government during his tour of the poll-bound state. While addressing a gathering in Rajgir's Nalanda, chief minister Nitish Kumar's home district, the Congress leader accused the JDU-BJP alliance of turning Bihar from the 'land of knowledge' to the country's 'crime capital'.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Row over Bengaluru stampede intensifies after complaint against CM Siddaramaiah filed with governor
Row over Bengaluru stampede intensifies after complaint against CM Siddaramaiah filed with governor

Hindustan Times

time38 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Row over Bengaluru stampede intensifies after complaint against CM Siddaramaiah filed with governor

Bengaluru: A formal complaint was submitted to Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Saturday against chief minister Siddaramaiah over alleged negligence leading to the June 4 stampede near the Chinnaswamy stadium that claimed 11 lives, even as the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensified its attack on the Congress leadership in the state. In his complaint to the governor, Girish Kumar, a resident of Kottigepalya in Bengaluru, alleged that the chief minister had personally invited the public to participate in the celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory without ensuring adequate safety arrangements. The complaint also questioned the state government's decision to host a grand reception for a private cricket franchise like RCB, claiming that IPL is a commercial venture driven by profit motives rather than national pride. 'Players are bought by franchises and play for money, not for the country or the state,' the letter alleged, pointing out that such celebrations were not extended to national heroes such as soldiers or Olympic athletes. The complainant also criticised deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar for receiving the RCB team at the airport, calling it excessive and unwarranted. He alleged that the government failed in its duty to protect citizens and demanded that those responsible for the mismanagement be held accountable. The stampede on June 4 evening occurred in front of the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, where a large number of people thronged to participate in the RCB team's maiden IPL victory celebrations. At least 11 people died and 56 were injured in the incident. Meanwhile, the one-man inquiry commission constituted by the state government under retired high court judge John Michael Cunha to inquire into the stampede, has been asked to identify the persons responsible for the omissions or deficiencies that led to this incident. A political slugfest over the incident continued, with senior BJP leader and Union minister of state Shobha Karandlaje alleging that CM Siddaramiah and his deputy Shivakumar have 'blood on their hands', holding them directly responsible for the stampede and demanded their resignation. 'The parents who have lost their children are cursing. They (CM and DCM) are trying to wash the blood on their hands and wipe it on police officers,' Karandlaje alleged. Taking to social media, CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday said, 'I have ordered an increase in the compensation announced for the families of those who died in the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium from ₹10 lakh each to ₹25 lakh.' The increased compensation announcement comes even as victims' family alleged that no one has visited them so far. 'We are a very poor family... It has been three days since my son died, but not a single official has visited our home. We have received no help from the government either,' Mariyamma, mother of Shiva Linga, who died in the stampede, told reporters. Separately, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)president Raghuram Bhat on Saturday said the resignation of A Shankar and ES Jairam, secretary and treasurer of the governing body, was accepted in an emergency meeting but ruled out dissolving the rest of the managing committee. The emergency meeting was convened after the two senior officials stepped down from their respective roles through a letter to the KSCA president, taking moral responsibility for the stampede . (With agency inputs)

Rahul Gandhi dismissing mandate of people as they rejected him: Fadnavis
Rahul Gandhi dismissing mandate of people as they rejected him: Fadnavis

Time of India

time39 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Rahul Gandhi dismissing mandate of people as they rejected him: Fadnavis

Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi , instead of introspecting on the defeat in the 2024 state assembly polls, has been repudiating the mandate given by the people because they rejected leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha is preparing his excuses for future defeats in the upcoming assembly elections, including Bihar, Fadnavis said in his articles published in the Indian Express and Marathi daily Saturday, Gandhi, in an article published in several newspapers and in posts on X, claimed the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections were a "blueprint for rigging democracy" and alleged this "match-fixing" would next happen in a post on X, Gandhi outlined the alleged electoral irregularities in a stepwise manner - fake voters are added, voter turnout is inflated, bogus voting is facilitated, and evidence is subsequently Election Commission rejected the charge, saying defaming the poll panel after an unfavourable verdict is absolutely response to Gandhi's claims, Fadnavis in his article said the Congress leader has been constantly "insulting" the democratic process and the people's mandate."The people have rejected Rahul Gandhi, and in retaliation, he is rejecting the people and their mandate," the BJP leader charged." It would be more prudent to accept defeat for once and introspect on where you are going wrong, where your connection with the people is lacking, and what you should do about it," he Congress leader is preparing his excuses for future defeats in the upcoming assembly polls, including Bihar, he Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, won the 2024 Maharashtra polls with a thumping majority, defeating the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which includes the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).Fadnavis said, "As far as the Maharashtra election is concerned, it was not fundamentally a contest between the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi. There was another factor: The Bharat Jodo Abhiyaan. What was this 'todo' (break) campaign, established under the name of "jodo" (unite), doing?"It was creating misconceptions among the public against all of the country's constitutional institutions, thereby inciting them to fight against the nation itself. This includes the judiciary and the Election Commission, he 1950 until a new law was enacted, the (previous) Congress governments directly appointed the Chief Election Commissioner, Fadnavis of 26 commissioners to date, 25 were directly appointed by the central government. For the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi established a committee that includes the leader of the opposition or the leader of the largest political party (in the opposition), he to Gandhi's objection to an increase in the number of electors in the 2024 Maharashtra polls whom he called "bogus voters", Fadnavis said the number of young voters is constantly increasing."Between 2014 and 2019, 63 lakh new voters were added; from 2009 to 2014, 75 lakh new voters were added; and from 2004 to 2009, 1 crore new voters were added. This means that nothing extraordinary happened in 2024," he 2004, 5 per cent more in the assembly elections than in the Lok Sabha polls. In 2009, 4 per cent more; in 2014, 3 per cent more; in 2019, 1 per cent more; and in 2024, 4 per cent more. So again, nothing new happened in 2024, the CM said."The claim that the voting percentage suddenly increased is a huge joke. Is Rahul Gandhi unaware that 5 pm to 6 pm is also a polling hour, and everyone present in the queue at the booth by 6 pm is allowed to cast their vote?" he the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout figure given at 5 pm was 60.96 per cent, which was finalised at 66.71 per cent the next day. The increase was 5.75 per cent. "But are you going to hide that fact because you won that election?" Fadnavis the final voting figures would come late at night; now, the 5 pm figure is released, and the final figure comes the next day, he claim that the NDA won where the voter percentage increased at the last moment is "even more laughable," Fadnavis said."Rahul Gandhi gave the example of Kamthi (assembly seat in Maharashtra). But I will provide the examples which he did not. In Madha, there was an 18 per cent increase, where the Sharad Pawar group's candidate won. In Wani, a 13 per cent increase, where the Uddhav Thackeray group's candidate won. In Shrirampur, a 12 per cent increase, where the Congress won," he said Rahul Gandhi has been constantly "insulting" the democratic process and the people's mandate."The people have rejected Rahul Gandhi, and in retaliation, he is rejecting the people and their mandate," he said."This will only push the Congress party further into a ditch. He needs to introspect on why his own party's MLAs make statements challenging anyone to get an appointment with him within a day. He must be mindful of which direction he is taking the country and what poison he is spreading by constantly raising doubts about the democratic process and constitutional institutions," the CM said the defeat in Maharashtra has hurt Gandhi and his allies."But if you continue to insult the mandate of Maharashtra's farmers, Ladki Bahin (beloved sisters), common people, and all its citizens in this manner, the people of Maharashtra will never forgive you," he added.

NDA government redefined women-led development in 11 years: PM Modi
NDA government redefined women-led development in 11 years: PM Modi

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

NDA government redefined women-led development in 11 years: PM Modi

A day before his government marks its first anniversary in third term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has redefined women-led development in its 11 years in power. In all sectors, including science, education, sports, start ups and the armed forces, women are excelling and inspiring several people, Modi said on X. He cited a number of welfare programmes which, he noted, have benefitted women immensely. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Senior Living Homes in Bhuapur May Surprise You Senior Living | Search Ads Undo Various initiatives, from ensuring dignity through Swachh Bharat to financial inclusion via Jan Dhan accounts, the focus has been on empowering the women, he said. If ' Ujjwala Yojana ' brought smoke-free kitchens running on gas cylinders to the poor households, 'MUDRA' loans enabled lakhs of women entrepreneurs to pursue dreams on their own terms. Houses under the women's name in PM Awas Yojana too have made a remarkable impact, he added. Live Events ' Beti Bachao Beti Padhao ' (save daughter, educate daughter) programme ignited a national movement to protect the girl child, he said. The prime minister shared a thread of a government-run citizenship engagement platform, which listed benefits brought to women by several government schemes. It said the maternal mortality ratio declined to 93 per lakh live births in 2019-21 from 167 in 2011-13, and the households with tap water connections zoomed to 15.64 crore in May 2025 from 3.23 crore in August 2019. Over 10 crore cooking gas connections were given under the Ujjwala scheme, it said, while highlighting several other welfare measures targeting women. In the run up to the anniversary, Modi has been highlighting his government's work for different sections of society, including the poor, farmers and youths.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store