"What is the problem?": Assam LoP backs Rahul Gandhi's image on sanitary pads

Amid a growing controversy over the use of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's pictures on sanitary pad packets, Assam Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia has come out in support of the initiative. He defended it as part of a welfare scheme aimed at promoting menstrual hygiene and public health, asserting that there was nothing objectionable about it.

Speaking to ANI, Saikia mentioned that there is nothing wrong with putting pictures on such good initiatives.

"Distributing 5 lakh sanitary pads is just the beginning, and such welfare schemes should be taken up. We have placed the picture of Rahul Gandhi, but there is no reason for the BJP to get angry. Even on tobacco, there are images of celebrities in advertisements. And if, for such a good thing, we are putting up the picture of our leader, then what is the problem?" Saikia asked.

Congress had earlier announced the launch of a sanitary pad distribution drive in Bihar. The box has pictures of Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Speaking on the initiative, All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba claimed that a survey was carried out by her party, in which it was revealed that women in Bihar are still using cloth during menstruation.

"We conducted a survey in Bihar, and shocking figures came out that in today's modern India, women and daughters of Bihar are using cloth during menstruation and are falling prey to serious diseases. Mahila Congress has taken the initiative to give free sanitary vending machines to our mothers, sisters, daughters of Bihar who are using cloth due to unemployment, inflation, poverty and are unable to buy it," Lamba said.

"We installed machines, gave free training, free machines, free raw material to make 30,000 pads. And today, I am happy to say that the women of Bihar are making these pads; they are getting work and earning a living. We are going to distribute free sanitary pad boxes in the next 2 days," she added.

Earlier, Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Monday said that if the INDIA bloc comes to power in Bihar after the upcoming assembly elections, it will implement Rajasthan's health model in the state.