US Singer Mary Millben says it’s time for a “courageous woman” to step up and declare her candidature for Bihar Chief Minister
She also lauds Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is a leader who believes in empowering women
A controversy erupted on Tuesday when Nitish Kumar spoke about the role of women’s education in population control, triggering an uproar from the BJP MLAs in the Bihar assembly.
In a video posted on her X handle, Millben, who grabbed eyeballs recently when she touched Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s feet at an event in the US, said it was time a “courageous woman” needed to step up and declare her candidature for Bihar Chief Minister.
Mary Millben says it’s time for a “courageous woman” to step up and declare her candidature for Bihar Chief Minister
“Today, India faces a defining moment right in Bihar, where the value of women is being challenged. And I believe there is only one answer to this challenge. After Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Ji’s comments, I believe a courageous woman needs to step up and declare her candidacy to run for the Chief Minister of Bihar. If I were a citizen of India, I would move to Bihar and run for the Chief Minister,” she said in the video.
“In the holy scriptures, Queen Esther was admonished to boldly approach her husband, the King, to help save her Jewish people. It was Mordecai who challenged (her cousin) Esther to see her place as Queen, her place and time in the kingdom, as a defining moment to save her Jewish people. Mordecai said to Esther, ‘who knows but that you, Esther have come to the kingdom, made Queen, for such a time as this?’ I believe the time is now for Nitish Kumar to resign and for an Esther to arise in Bihar,” Mary Millben added.
Invoking actor Shah Rukh Khan’s film Jawan, where he was seen asking people to vote and bring change, the singer-actress said, “You the people of Bihar, people of India, have the power to vote in a woman, the power to vote in for change.”
She said the BJP “should empower a woman to lead in Bihar”. “This would be a true sense of women empowerment and development in response. Bihar, do as SRK admonished in Jawan, vote and bring change,” she stressed.
A controversy erupted on Tuesday when Nitish Kumar spoke, almost in graphic detail, about the role of women’s education in population control, triggering an uproar from the BJP MLAs in the Bihar assembly. He, however, apologised for his comments today in the House, claiming they were misinterpreted and he felt ashamed.
Nitish Kumar made the controversial remarks while underlining the need for women’s education to check population growth and how Bihar’s fertility rate has dropped from 4.2 to 2.9 per cent.
In the video, Mary Millben lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he was a leader who believed in empowering women. She said PM Modi was the best leader in India-US bilateral ties and for the global economic stability of the world, adding she loved India.
“Many people ask why I support PM Modi and follow India affairs so closely. The answer is simple. I love India. And I believe PM Modi is the best leader for India and the progress of Indian citizens. He’s the best leader for the US-India relationship and for the global economic stability of the world. The PM stands for women,” she said.
Miliben underlined that the 2024 election season commenced both in the US and India. “Election seasons present an opportunity for change, to put an end to outdated policies and non-progressive people replaced with voices and values that inspire and truly align with all citizen’s convictions and what is best for the collective future of a nation,” she further said.
