Journalism of Courage
Maneka Gandhi is a former Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat and a well-known social worker and animal rights activist. Born on August 26, 1956, in Delhi, she hails from a family with a rich political legacy. She married Sanjay Gandhi. She has been a minister in four governments, most recently in Narendra Modi's government from May 2014 to May 2019.
Notably, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections she lost to Samajwadi Party's Ramabhual Nishad by a slim margin of 43 thousand votes.
Maneka, who was in-charge of the Women and Child Development Ministry in Modi's first term, courted a major controversy with her statement during the election campaign that if Muslims didn't vote for her they would find it difficult to get their work done.
Maneka's foray into politics began in the late 1980s when she contested and won the Amethi Lok Sabha seat as an independent candidate. However, her political journey truly gained momentum when she joined the BJP in 2004. Since then, she has been a prominent face of the party.
As an MP, Gandhi was an ardent advocate for animal rights and welfare. Gandhi played a crucial role in the establishment and implementation of several animal welfare laws, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Her efforts have resulted in improved protection for animals, better living conditions, and stricter regulations against animal abuse.
