• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Minta Devi, a 35-year-old woman from Siwan district in Bihar, has spoken out, and laughed off, a strange political controversy centered around her name and photograph. “Who gave Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi the right to print my face on a T-shirt and make fun of it?” she asked.

The controversy began after the Election Commission of India mistakenly recorded her age as 124 years in official documents. Using this error to highlight flaws in voter records, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other opposition MPs held a protest in New Delhi, wearing T-shirts featuring Minta Devi’s name and image.

ALSO READ: Parliament Monsoon Session: Sporting '124 Not Out' T-Shirts, Oppn MPs Stage Protest Against Bihar SIR, 'Vote Theft'

Minta is allegedly listed as a 124-year-old voter.  “I came to know about this a few days ago…who are they (opposition MPs) to me? Who is Priyanka Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi to me? Who gave them the right to wear t-shirts featuring me? Why are they becoming my well-wisher over my age? This should not be done, I do not want this" she told news agency ANI.

Minta acknowledged that there are errors in the voter list but emphasized that she shouldn’t be held responsible for them. At the same time, she urged authorities to correct her personal details. Jokingly, she added that if the government truly believes she's 124 years old, then she should at least be granted an old-age pension. She also clarified that her Aadhaar card contains the correct information, showing her date of birth as July 15, 1990.

“I think there are discrepancies (in list). I did not get anyone’s (from administration) phone call. I want my details to be corrected. Whoever entered the details, did they do so with their eyes closed? If I am 124 years old in the eyes of the government, why are they not giving me an old-age pension? My Aadhaar card mentions 15-07-1990 as my date of birth."

Minta Devi quipped that the Election Commission had “made her a grandma.” According to the draft electoral rolls in Bihar, the 35-year-old first-time voter was bizarrely listed as being 124 years old—potentially making her the oldest voter in a state where over 7 crore people will cast their votes in a few months.

“How can I be blamed for this blunder? I filled out my enumeration form online after waiting in vain for a booth-level officer to visit,” she explained.

A PTI report stated that the Siwan district administration has since responded to the issue. Officials confirmed that Minta, a prospective voter from the Daraunda assembly segment, had been contacted and corrective action initiated before the matter gained public attention.

"An application was obtained from Minta Devi on August 10 to rectify the error, which had been flagged by the BLO. The correction will be processed during the claims and objections phase of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls," read an official statement from the Siwan collectorate.

ALSO READ: Bihar SIR: SC Backs EC's View On Aadhaar As Citizenship Proof, Hints At Setting Aside SIR Data If 'Illegality' Proven | Top Points

“I am thrilled that, finally, at the age of 35, I may get a chance to cast my vote. Many polls have passed since I became eligible but somehow my name never made it to the voter list. If the EC has made me a grandma (daadi bana diya) in the process, it is fine with me. I have nothing to fear. I had stated my year of birth as 1990, the same as in my Aadhar card. I cannot help it if in the draft rolls 1990 has been made 1900," she said.

Also In News