New Delhi: The political heat over alleged discrepancies in the voters list took a dramatic turn on Tuesday when Minta Devi, a resident of Bihar’s Siwan district, lashed out at Congress leaders for using her name and photograph during their protest in Parliament.

The Congress, led by senior leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Gaurav Gogoi, staged a high-profile demonstration against what they called a “fake voters list,” holding the Election Commission of India accountable for glaring errors. In a symbolic move, leaders wore t-shirts with Minta Devi’s image and name on the front, and the phrase “124 Not Out” on the back — a reference to her alleged age as recorded in the voter list, nine years older than the world’s oldest living person.

Minta Devi questions political use of her identity

Reacting strongly, Minta Devi told ANI, “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?”

While acknowledging there was an error in her voter details, she insisted that political parties should not use her identity without consent. “Why are they becoming my well-wisher over my age? I do not want this. I just want my details corrected,” she said.

‘If I’m 124, where’s my pension?’

The controversy erupted after the Congress claimed that Minta Devi had been listed as a 124-year-old voter in the Election Commission’s draft roll. According to her Aadhaar card, however, she was born on 15 July 1990. “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?” she quipped.

How Minta Devi’s name entered the protest

Her case was highlighted during Rahul Gandhi’s presentation on alleged voter fraud, where he showcased examples of inaccurate entries in the electoral roll. Minta Devi’s listing became the centrepiece of the Opposition’s protest.

On Tuesday, the protest at Parliament’s Makar Dwar saw participation from a united Opposition front — Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, TMC leader Derek O’Brien, DMK’s TR Baalu, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule among others.

Voter list discrepancies: a larger debate

The Election Commission has been facing mounting pressure over the accuracy of electoral rolls, with political parties accusing it of negligence and bias. While isolated cases of errors have been acknowledged in the past, the Opposition claims that systemic lapses are undermining the integrity of elections.

In this instance, however, the political theatre took an unusual turn — from Parliament’s protest corridors to a small village in Siwan, where the woman at the heart of the controversy was less than impressed with the attention.

Call for corrections, not politics

Minta Devi’s demand is clear: “I want my details corrected… nothing else.” She has distanced herself from any political narrative, urging that the matter be treated as an administrative lapse rather than a political opportunity.

As the election season edges closer, the incident raises broader questions about the ethics of using individual identities in political campaigns without consent — and whether the issue of voter list accuracy will be addressed with seriousness beyond the headlines.