Sanitary Pad Campaign Featuring Rahul Gandhi Sparks Controversy in Bihar Amid Fake News Claims
PATNA, India, July 8, 2025 — A Congress party initiative in Bihar, India, aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene has ignited a political firestorm ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections. The campaign, part of the Priyadarshini Udaan Yojana, involves distributing sanitary pads to over 500,000 women, with boxes featuring Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s photo alongside promises of ₹2,500 ($30) monthly financial aid for women from low-income families under the Mai Bahin Maan Yojana. However, the inclusion of Gandhi’s image has drawn sharp criticism, worsened by fake news claiming his photo appeared inside the sanitary pads.
The campaign, inspired by the Bollywood film *Padman*, seeks to address menstrual hygiene in Bihar, where many women rely on cloth due to poverty. Despite its intentions, the decision to feature Rahul Gandhi’s image on the packaging has provoked backlash. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United), major rivals in Bihar, slammed the move as disrespectful. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari called it an “insult to Bihar’s women,” while JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar accused Congress of politicizing a sensitive issue, labeling it “ideological bankruptcy.” Local women, like Pinki Kumari from Muzaffarpur, expressed discomfort, saying, “A man’s face on sanitary pads feels wrong. Focus on our health instead.” Sunita Singh from Vaishali called it “an election gimmick.”
The controversy escalated when a viral video falsely claimed Rahul Gandhi’s photo was printed inside the sanitary pads. Congress dismissed the video as fake news, with leader Supriya Shrinate confirming a police complaint was filed against its circulation. All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba defended the campaign, stressing its aim to break menstrual hygiene taboos in Bihar. “Poverty forces many women here to use cloth. We’re addressing a real need,” she said, accusing the BJP of an “anti-women mindset.”
The spread of fake news about the campaign has further muddied the waters, highlighting the challenges of addressing women’s health in India’s polarized political landscape. As Bihar gears up for the elections, the sanitary pad row underscores the delicate balance between social initiatives and political messaging, with misinformation adding fuel to the debate.
This is an original article written for global readers in simple language, incorporating the clarification that the claim about Rahul Gandhi’s photo inside sanitary pads is fake news.
