"Rahul Gandhi Shouldn't Comment": LJP's Sambhavi Choudhary On 'Drama' Remark

In a rebuttal to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans for a Chhath Puja, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary said that Rahul Gandhi "should not comment" on matters he does not understand.

Speaking during NDTV's Power Play - Bihar political conclave today, Choudhary, who represents Samastipur in the Lok Sabha, defended the Prime Minister and criticised the Congress leader's tone, saying, "Chhath is not just a festival for Bihar, it's an emotion for Bihar. So, when you don't know about a four-day festival, you shouldn't comment on it."

The Congress leader had earlier alleged that the Prime Minister's proposed dip in the Yamuna River during Chhath Puja was a "drama", claiming that the plan was shelved when it was discovered that a patch of clean water had been created artificially for the occasion. The Congress leader also said that PM Modi would "do anything for votes, even dance".

Choudhary dismissed the charge as politically motivated and culturally insensitive. "The way Rahul Gandhi made it a political issue was wrong. The Prime Minister came here, he wished the people of the state, he didn't do politics. I don't know who guides Rahul Gandhi, but if he didn't know about Chhath, he shouldn't have spoken about it," she said.

Turning to questions about women's political participation in Bihar,  Choudhary who became one of India's youngest MPs in 2024 at the age of 25, spoke about the evolution of women's roles in public life since 2005.

"When we talk about political participation, women are a key factor. Our leaders have always said that we are in a time where just talking about women empowerment is not enough, now we have to talk about women's leadership," she said.

Referring to Bihar's social transition over the past two decades, she added, "We come from a patriarchal society. Women in Bihar once accepted that as their reality. But after 2005, things changed. This year, we saw that women celebrated festivals with their own money. That is real change."

When asked whether schemes like pre-election cash transfers to women voters were timed for political advantage, she responded, "Yes, we gave them this before polls, but we have been working for women since 2005."

Speaking about her political journey, Choudhary said she belonged to a family steeped in politics. "Everyone knows I am a third-generation politician. I have always said that I know nothing else but politics. Chirag Paswan is a leader who talks about the participation of youth in politics. I was chosen by the people of Samastipur. Politics is one profession where you have to take a test every five years."

Asked how difficult it was for an ordinary person to secure a party ticket, she said the LJP had tried to ensure representation of both women and young leaders. "As far as our party is concerned, we have fielded as many women and as many youth as we could."

Bihar heads to assembly elections in two phases, on November 6 and November 11, with counting scheduled for November 14.