Bihar’s Minta Devi Shocked as Opposition MPs Use Her Name, Photo in Parliament Protest

National News: Minta Devi of Bihar’s Siwan district has suddenly found herself at the centre of a political storm. The unusual reason is that the Election Commission’s voter list records her age as 124 years. This bizarre entry has now sparked controversy and even led to protests by MPs of the I.N.D.I Alliance inside the Parliament premises on Tuesday. The opposition MPs staged their protest wearing T-shirts printed with Minta Devi’s name and photograph. But far from being pleased, Minta Devi has expressed anger over the move. She claimed she only learnt about the matter two to four days ago.

"Who gave them the right?" — Minta Devi’s strong reaction

Speaking to reporters, she questioned, “Who are these MPs to me? Who are Priyanka Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi to me? Who gave them permission to use my name and photograph on their T-shirts?” Minta Devi admitted there had been an error in the voter list, leading to her age being recorded incorrectly. However, she said neither the Election Commission nor the local administration contacted her to verify the details. “Why is my age being turned into a political issue? All I want is for my correct age to be recorded,” she stated.

Pension demand with a hint of sarcasm

With a touch of wit, Minta Devi said, “If the government really believes I’m 124 years old, why am I not getting an old-age pension?” According to her Aadhaar card, her actual date of birth is 15 July 1990.

Blaming administrative negligence

Accusing the administration of carelessness, she remarked sarcastically, “Was the person entering the data doing it with his eyes closed?” She made it clear she has no political affiliations and only wants the official records corrected. Political observers say the incident highlights not only the flaws in the Election Commission’s data management but also how such mistakes can be weaponised for political mileage. While the opposition uses Minta Devi’s case as a symbol of alleged government inefficiency, critics argue that turning a citizen’s clerical error into a parliamentary spectacle diverts attention from pressing national issues.