Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 7, (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party National Council Member, Sadineni Yamini Sharma, has slammed the Congress Party over the alleged use of Rahul Gandhi's image on sanitary pads.

Speaking to ANI, Sharma said that this is an insensitive and disgraceful political move by the Congress Party. 'We, the BJP, strongly condemn the insensitive and disgraceful political act by the Congress party in Bihar. The act of placing Rahul Gandhi's image on sanitary pads is not just a desperate attempt to gain cheap political mileage -- it is a direct insult to the dignity, privacy, and respect of women,' said Sharma.

She further added, 'Sonia Gandhi, being a woman herself, should feel ashamed of her party's move. We believe that both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi owe an apology to the women of this country.'

Sharma demanded a public apology from Rahul Gandhi.

Earlier, the Congress party had announced the launch of sanitary pad distribution in Bihar. The box has pictures of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

On the same lines, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, justified this move on Saturday. 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 questioned.

Earlier, speaking on the initiative, All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba claimed that a survey was conducted, revealing that women in Bihar still use cloth during menstruation.

'We surveyed 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,' said Lamba.

Adding further, she stated, '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.' (ANI)