Women's Day 2025: On the occasion of International Women's Day, OneIndia had an exclusive conversation with Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi from Shiv Sena (UBT). During the discussion, OneIndia delved into her struggles and life journey in detail.
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#WomensDay2025 #PriyankaChaturvedi #OneIndia #WomenInLeadership #BreakingBarriers #Resilience #CareerGrowth #Entrepreneurship
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NewsTranscript
00:00I am a mother, I am a daughter, I am delicate, I am tough, I can bear a thousand pains, I am not deviated from my duty, I am a woman of today.
00:09I don't think there should be any definition of what a woman of today should be, although the world defines it.
00:16In this context, we have Priyanka Chaturvedi with us, who is a member of the Rajya Sabha from the Shiv Sena UBT,
00:23she is a brilliant speaker, a brilliant leader, and today we will find out what struggles she has faced in her life,
00:30how did she rise from the ground and reach here?
00:34So, let's welcome Priyanka Chaturvedi ji to One India.
00:38First of all, we will find out how did you start your political career?
00:43Look, I would say that I had no attachment or desire for politics,
00:49nor did I ever think that I would join politics.
00:52But when I was in Mumbai on 26th November, I was not directly involved in politics,
00:58but when I was attacked in Mumbai, I felt that I should be involved in some way, I should be involved in the society.
01:06That's when the spark started.
01:09I saw the outcome happening.
01:13When we go to help, we extend our hands, we join people.
01:17After joining people, we can make people's lives a little easier.
01:24So, we started that.
01:26And then, in the Indian Youth Congress, Rahul Gandhi launched a new idea that those who are not involved in politics,
01:35want to join politics, want to serve the country, want to join political parties,
01:41so he started it through the Indian Youth Congress.
01:44So, I started from there.
01:46And then I became the convener of the All India Congress Committee of the Congress Party.
01:55And for some reason, I had to leave the party, and I joined Shiv Sena.
01:59I am from Maharashtra, I am from Mumbai.
02:01So, I felt that Shiv Sena is a party that talks about Maharashtra's leaders, talks about the people of Mumbai.
02:08So, I got involved with them, and then I am in the Rajya Sabha today.
02:13Great.
02:14Ma'am, as a woman, this is my personal question.
02:18As a woman, have you had to face discrimination in politics?
02:24Look, there is only one thing in discrimination, that people who judge.
02:28And this happens with every woman in the country.
02:31She has been a victim of judgment since childhood.
02:34What kind of clothes are you wearing? Who are you meeting? Why are you laughing loudly?
02:38Why don't you cook food? Why are you wearing these colorful clothes?
02:41So, there is discrimination in everything.
02:43Similarly, politics is also a place that is connected to the people.
02:48So, the reflection of what we see in society is also seen in politics.
02:54And in the process, our constitution gave women the right to vote,
02:59when other countries had to fight for it.
03:01Women of other countries had to fight for it.
03:03Our country gave us this right in the constitution from the very beginning.
03:08It also gave us the right that if they want to participate in elections or politics,
03:12then there will be no discrimination against them.
03:14But as time went on, we saw how women were removed from politics.
03:18It was made difficult for them.
03:21From their personal character assassination to giving them difficult constituencies,
03:26they were kept away from the places where they should have been.
03:31So, personally if you ask me,
03:33more than discrimination, there was also discrimination.
03:36Can Priyanka fight in the elections?
03:38If we give her a ticket, can she win?
03:41If we give Priyanka this responsibility, will Priyanka be able to fulfill it?
03:45Priyanka has already given you so much, how much more do you want?
03:49If the same ambitions can be of men,
03:52and they are called ambitions, aggressive, leadership skills,
03:57it is said for women that it is opportunistic.
04:01I have definitely seen this discrimination.
04:03I have also seen discrimination where judgment is placed on me,
04:06character assassination is done, all kinds of things are said.
04:12I have also seen that.
04:14But I also believe that if we leave our struggle in the middle,
04:19then lakhs of women, thousands of women dream of joining politics or serving the country.
04:25We are failing them somewhere or the other.
04:27That's why I kept working.
04:29There are abuses, people speak ill of me.
04:32But because I am committed to my work and have love for the country,
04:36that's why I keep working in the magazine.
04:40Love for the country and commitment to work.
04:43I personally like this term from the mouth of women.
04:47Because we have heard that you go to the moon, but first do the work of the house.
04:52So I will come home too.
04:55You are a mother of two children.
04:57So what challenges do you have to face in handling the house and career?
05:02In the current scenario, the children must be demanding that the mother cannot give time.
05:07Now my children have grown up.
05:09If they start demanding, then maybe I will get angry with them.
05:13But yes, when I started politics, the children were small.
05:17My daughter was only two years old and I used to come and go to Delhi a lot.
05:21I could spend very little time with her.
05:23So there were definitely challenges in the beginning where it was her annual day or her PTM.
05:29I don't remember if I went to any of my daughter's PTM.
05:32Usually my husband attended it.
05:34My daughter was always angry with me about this.
05:37My son was growing up.
05:39At that time, he was understanding the challenges.
05:42His mother's job is a little outside Mumbai.
05:45So that has remained.
05:47That difficulty has remained.
05:48There are a lot of such things that we have to take decisions.
05:51As we used to make some plans with your daughter,
05:54some work used to come in the same way because of which I had to travel.
05:57So I used to get very disappointed.
05:59Sometimes I used to be disappointed with me.
06:00I used to get angry with me too.
06:01But yes, that effect of life has now come out.
06:05You both children understand that the responsibility I have for my family is the same as that of a big family.
06:11It is for my country's family.
06:13It is for Maharashtra's family.
06:15It is for them too.
06:16It is for Mumbai's family.
06:17It is for them too.
06:18So they are a lot more understanding.
06:19Thankfully, both of them are very independent.
06:21And they are able to manage their lives.
06:25Nice.
06:26As a prominent woman in Indian politics, active politics,
06:32if you talk from the beginning,
06:35Sucheta Kriplani, Sarojini Naidu,
06:37there have been a lot of great politicians in our country.
06:41If you look at the current effect,
06:44then the involvement of women is very less in comparison to males.
06:50Society is male-dominated itself.
06:52So what do you see?
06:54Do you think that only some reservation or one-third parliament reservation,
06:58you know, you are aware of all the things.
07:00So will the participation of women in active politics increase with the arrival of a reservation?
07:06And if not, then how will it increase?
07:09No, I absolutely agree that the things that were given to us by the constitution,
07:13if they are deprived of it, then reservation is a good medium
07:16by which women's participation increases.
07:19But I wanted the reservation fight that we were fighting,
07:22that the current parliamentary system,
07:24the current assemblies,
07:2633% should be implemented immediately.
07:29When the panchayat elections were held,
07:33they were implemented immediately from the next election.
07:36So when this historic bill was passed last year in the Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha,
07:42and I agree that it will be the first time in history that it will be recorded,
07:46apart from two people, the entire parliament passed it with full consent.
07:51But the sad thing was that it was now added with delimitation.
07:56When there will be more than 540 seats,
07:58there will be 800 seats or 750 seats,
08:00which will be the new constituencies based on the population,
08:0433% reservation will be implemented in that.
08:07So there are two problems in that.
08:08First, the census has not even started.
08:10If it has to be implemented from 2020,
08:12the whole process of the census has not even started,
08:15which was supposed to happen in 2021 and is still pending.
08:19Second, it is linked to delimitation.
08:21After delimitation, the delimitation that was freezed,
08:24it is going to end next year.
08:26There has already been a fight for it.
08:28You are seeing that DMK is talking about it,
08:30Karnataka is talking about it, Andhra Pradesh is talking about it,
08:32Telangana is talking about it.
08:33So that fight is going to go to another Supreme Court,
08:36this is also known.
08:37So by linking it to delimitation,
08:39whether women's participation will increase or not,
08:41whether it will be implemented or not,
08:43I have doubts about it somewhere.
08:46I will give you another example.
08:48Recently, Maharashtra was elected, Delhi was elected,
08:52Jharkhand was elected.
08:54Even there, if 33% reservation,
08:56let's say it has to be implemented in 2021,
08:58you could have started it in Assembly,
09:00but you have not done it.
09:02So this is the only problem.
09:04If we talk about women's participation,
09:06you have made reservation as a priority,
09:09but it has not been implemented.
09:11So how will confidence increase in such women?
09:14There are some people who are sitting as chiefs of all parties
09:17to show their confidence,
09:19who do the work of supporting.
09:21But I am still very hopeful.
09:23I always think of the positive.
09:25I see the glass half full rather than half empty.
09:27I hope that it will definitely be implemented.
09:30And women in every field,
09:32whether it is Parliament, Assembly, local bodies,
09:36even if 50% of the population passes,
09:38this is my hope and desire.
09:40And I am also working for it.
09:43You just talked about the Delhi elections and Jharkhand elections.
09:46The results of the Delhi elections came out.
09:49And a female CM, Rekha Gupta,
09:51has come to the capital of our country.
09:54She is your opponent,
09:56but she is a woman.
09:58So how do you see this?
10:00Delhi has got a female CM.
10:03So what is your opinion on this?
10:05First of all, I also tweeted about this.
10:08I said that she may be better than the BJP,
10:10but I am happy that
10:12a woman has been given this responsibility.
10:14Just think, in so many states,
10:16there was only one female CM,
10:18which was Mamata Banerjee.
10:20Four Delhi has got a female CM.
10:24This is also a record in itself.
10:26People have taken out old tweets from her Twitter.
10:30I don't want to get involved in that either.
10:32We should celebrate this.
10:34Wherever women are holding the command,
10:37of any party,
10:39if we talk about gender equality,
10:42we should celebrate it.
10:44I was among the first people
10:46who congratulated her.
10:48I gave her best wishes.
10:50And because she is a woman,
10:52knowing the problems of women in politics,
10:56I hope that whatever challenges she faces,
11:00she will be able to overcome them.
11:02And she will fulfill the promises she made to the people of Delhi.
11:05Absolutely.
11:07True spirit of a woman should be this.
11:09I believe that she should be your role model.
11:12She should be your friend.
11:13If there is any achievement,
11:14and women are moving forward,
11:15then women should be pushed.
11:17We have a view that,
11:20these days women want to come into politics.
11:23But what do you think,
11:25what are the obstacles that are preventing women
11:27from coming into politics?
11:29Because you are doing it,
11:31you have reached here,
11:32so you must have an idea.
11:34There are a lot of things.
11:36First of all,
11:37when I go to every stage and talk to women,
11:40and wherever I am invited to talk to women,
11:44I never refuse them.
11:46But I always tell them one thing,
11:48that you should not feel under confident.
11:52You should have confidence in yourself.
11:55Have faith in yourself.
11:56If you can handle everything else,
11:58you can handle everything,
12:00whatever responsibilities you have in life,
12:02you can handle them.
12:03If you can handle everything,
12:04then why can't you handle earning a share of the country?
12:08Or why can't you play your role in politics?
12:13So I always give them this confidence.
12:16Secondly,
12:17the challenges they face,
12:18yes, there are challenges for them.
12:20For example,
12:21if they want an organizational role in the party,
12:24then they have to come in that.
12:26Then the ticket distribution,
12:28they have to come in that.
12:30Then they have to keep proving their commitment.
12:34Those are different problems.
12:36The other mental stress that they go through is
12:38the public judgment,
12:41and sometimes character assassination.
12:43Many times it comes from within the party also.
12:45Let me tell you this too.
12:46These are also problems.
12:48So make all these things in your mind,
12:51that we all know what the challenge is.
12:54But we are confident that we will be able to pass it.
12:58So I always tell them this.
13:00And I myself started a program for women.
13:03And there is another challenge with the political parties.
13:06When women candidates are found,
13:08successful women candidates,
13:10somewhere or the other there is a shortage
13:12that they are not prepared,
13:13they are not confident.
13:14And the most important thing,
13:15the financial challenges,
13:17a woman will go to her house and explain
13:19that I have left my career,
13:21leaving my financial career,
13:23I am in this.
13:24So every family asks,
13:26what is your future in this?
13:28So that woman somewhere or the other
13:30becomes weak,
13:31that what should I answer to my family.
13:33So this too,
13:34I tell every woman,
13:36make a timeline in your mind.
13:38And tell your family that timeline.
13:40That if this timeline does not happen,
13:41which I did myself,
13:42I said that if I do not reach the parliament in this timeline,
13:45then I will take a step back from politics.
13:48And I will see all the other responsibilities,
13:50which was my business,
13:51which I had kept on hold.
13:52But this is it,
13:53that you decide the timeline,
13:55decide in between,
13:56be confident,
13:57then a place is made.
13:58I had also started a program
13:59where I was training women for policy and politics.
14:03Like they confidently,
14:05if they do not want to go into politics,
14:07then become a confident Indian citizen,
14:09who can take part in political communication.
14:15As a modern woman,
14:16I think this modern tag on women
14:20is taken in a very negative way.
14:23I have seen your Instagram,
14:24your saree lover is written in your bio.
14:28And you like sarees,
14:30you are both modern and traditional.
14:33So how do you balance these modern and traditional women?
14:37I would like you to explain this to the women of this world.
14:41I think what is modern?
14:43Modern is that you can keep your confidence in front of the country.
14:48You can keep it in your communities,
14:50you can keep it in your mind.
14:51I don't believe that the narrative that has been made about women,
14:57it will be the same,
14:58it will be totally vamp,
15:00it will be partying at night,
15:02she has multiple relationships in the day.
15:05It's not.
15:06I think television has a big role to play
15:08in how they perceive modern women.
15:10Modern women can be someone who is confident,
15:13they know their place in the society,
15:16they are capable of fighting for their rights,
15:20they can fight for their rights.
15:21And whatever is their attire,
15:24whatever is their lifestyle,
15:25they should keep that confined with the society.
15:30This is my belief.
15:31I can be a troll for this,
15:32that you still have a cultural mindset,
15:34you have an old mindset,
15:36that is also fine.
15:37I like to balance it.
15:38I am proud of my culture,
15:40I am proud of my culture,
15:42I am proud of being an Indian,
15:43proud of being an Indian woman.
15:45I can appreciate every aspect of my being an Indian
15:48as well as adopting to some areas
15:51where I bring so-called modernity.
15:55So that is my sense of confidence.
15:57I am deeply rooted in my culture,
15:59in my ethos.
16:01But at the same time,
16:02if I have to talk to people all over the world,
16:05by adopting their culture and ethos a little,
16:08I can keep my confidence
16:10and the pride of the country in front.
16:14You are a politician,
16:17an active politician in women's group.
16:19So, from history to now,
16:23who do you consider your inspiration?
16:25Which female politician do you consider your inspiration?
16:29Before female politician,
16:31I used to get a lot of inspiration from Rani Lakshmi Bai.
16:36I used to sing a lot of poetry every time.
16:39Khoog Ladi Marnani was the queen of Jhansi.
16:41So, I used to get a lot of inspiration from her.
16:44If she can fight,
16:46she has fought against the British
16:48by keeping her child alone on her back.
16:51So, we are living such a life today
16:54where we can breathe freely.
16:56We are not slaves to anyone.
16:58We are living in our own India.
17:00So, I saw that confidence in me as well.
17:03In our time, there used to be such channels on television.
17:06Doordarshan was a channel.
17:08There used to be such channels
17:09which talked about women's emancipation,
17:11women's empowerment.
17:12There used to be a program called Rajni Ji.
17:15There used to be a program called Udaan,
17:17where women used to be shown a big canvas.
17:21We talked about serials.
17:25I understood that you are connected to TV serials.
17:30What do you like to do in your free time?
17:33Do you watch movies?
17:34Do you read books?
17:35I will tell you one of my boring things.
17:38Yes, I read books a lot.
17:40But now, I am focusing more on spirituality.
17:45I am reading Puranas, Ramcharitmanas, Bhagavad Gita.
17:50There are different versions of Bhagavad Gita.
17:54I am reading all of them.
17:56So, whenever I get some free time,
17:58I either listen to music,
18:01which is also moving towards bhajan these days.
18:04Maybe it is because of my age, but I am reading.
18:07Otherwise, I listen to music.
18:09I spend most of my time with my kids.
18:12I spend most of my time at home.
18:14I don't get much time to watch television.
18:17Do you watch movies?
18:18No, I don't watch television.
18:20Don't you watch movies these days?
18:23If I get a chance to watch movies on OTT platforms,
18:26I will definitely watch them.
18:27Recently, I went to watch Chhawa.
18:29I saw a Chhawa movie.
18:33After watching that movie, I felt so inspired.
18:36I wanted it to be tax-free all over the country.
18:39All the movies are being made tax-free.
18:41I don't know why Chhawa is being discriminated against.
18:44Chhawa is tax-free in many states.
18:46Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra.
18:48There are many other states that have made Chhawa tax-free.
18:52This I am not aware of, about Goa and Madhya Pradesh.
18:55But I requested our Chief Minister
18:58and the Information Broadcasting Ministry
19:01to make Chhawa tax-free in every state.
19:04There should be a special screening in every assembly.
19:07There should be a special screening in every parliament for parliamentarians.
19:11This is the heritage of our country.
19:13This is our history.
19:14If we learn from the people,
19:17if we see and know from the people,
19:19and if we feel proud of ourselves
19:21that we have fought all the wars successfully,
19:24then this will be a good thing.
19:26So yes, Chhawa was a must.
19:27I saw it on the day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti.
19:30The special screening was held by Shiv Sena.
19:32I was quite inspired by it.
19:37I feel that you watch movies,
19:41you listen to songs,
19:42you do politics.
19:44Modern women should be like this.
19:47Indian women.
19:48Modern, conventional, orthodox, whatever you call it.
19:53It's the Indian women.
19:55You are spiritual.
19:57You can call it a big seminar on spirituality.
20:01Mahatma Gandhi has just passed away.
20:03Did you attend it?
20:06Yes, I was there for three days.
20:09I felt very inspired.
20:13The way the patriots of the country were gathered there,
20:20the feeling there,
20:22I don't think I have ever seen that feeling.
20:26That all the patriots were gathered at one place
20:30and were celebrating their faith, their religion.
20:36I felt very energized.
20:38When I was there for three days,
20:42I would say that it is God's blessing
20:45that I was able to take part in the gathering for three days.
20:49So, somewhere there is a connection
20:53and we have a lot to learn in our country.
20:56We have to study a lot of things.
20:59There are so many forms and colors in our country.
21:03So, yes, I was there for three days.
21:05I had a very beautiful stay there
21:09and it was a very beautiful atmosphere.
21:12Not so political, but still political.
21:15Your party is a part of the India-Katbandhan.
21:20So, you know where I am coming from.
21:23Because a lot of people boycotted the Kumbh.
21:26Boycott in the sense that Kumbh was a failure,
21:29that it was a mess, that it was a Kumbh of death.
21:32A lot of such things were said.
21:34I felt good to hear about the Kumbh from your mouth.
21:37So, as a party leader,
21:40didn't you feel when you were going to the Kumbh
21:43that you didn't have to face any difficulties
21:47and that you didn't have to troll as a party person?
21:52No, not at all.
21:54When I have been with Congress and Shiv Sena,
21:59Shiv Sena is a Hindu-centric party.
22:02So, I never felt that trolling would happen.
22:05And I have never been afraid of trolling.
22:08But it was definitely there in my mind.
22:11Like my family was saying,
22:13you are going alone, pay attention,
22:15traffic is going on,
22:17and so many news were going on.
22:19So, of course, it was there.
22:21But whatever it is,
22:23there was definitely traffic.
22:25When there is so much crowd,
22:27when so many people gather at one place,
22:30then I would say,
22:32you have to face some inconvenience.
22:34But I was mentally prepared for it.
22:36Because this is also something
22:38that we get the opportunity to do in years.
22:40So, not at all.
22:42My party was absolutely encouraging.
22:44In fact, everyone was asking me
22:46about my experience.
22:48And a lot of MTs of our party,
22:51a lot of MLAs,
22:53and a lot of corporators
22:55have also come to me.
22:57So, from our side,
22:59whether it is spiritual or religious,
23:01we have come to fight that toughness.
23:04But as a woman,
23:06apart from the party,
23:08you can have a lot of opinions.
23:11What is your opinion on women's safety in the country?
23:14We hear a lot that
23:16rape has happened here,
23:18women are safe there.
23:20We have talked about participation,
23:22but if we talk about safety,
23:24what do you think?
23:26We have to do a lot more work on safety.
23:30This is not enough.
23:32We see many times that
23:34women are being mistreated
23:36at the police station.
23:39If there is misbehavior or harassment,
23:41they are able to record it.
23:43That's why you see more numbers.
23:45That's not the case.
23:47Even today, the way our society
23:49thinks about women,
23:51the way our society
23:53tries to stop women,
23:55the way our society
23:57has put women in handcuffs,
23:59that should have been a topic of discussion.
24:01We live in politics,
24:03we expect more because we have a voice.
24:05But I agree that
24:07women are a reflection
24:09of this society.
24:11If we all work together,
24:13especially on women,
24:15in a serious direction,
24:17first of all,
24:19and I say this with all my heart,
24:21before teaching our daughters,
24:23we should teach our sons
24:25what should be the respect
24:27of women.
24:29When a son is at home,
24:31he sees what his father is doing
24:33to his mother,
24:35he sees what he is doing
24:37to his grandmother,
24:39and he thinks that
24:41he should do the same
24:43to his future wife.
24:45So, it is our responsibility
24:47to give respect to women
24:49in our homes.
24:51We should teach our sons
24:53how important it is
24:55to give respect to women.
24:57We laugh so casually
24:59about harassment.
25:01If a woman posts a photo
25:03of herself,
25:05people misuse it
25:07and make fun of her.
25:09We should discourage such people.
25:11We should discourage such people.
25:13As soon as a woman
25:15is born,
25:17she is subjected to a lot of
25:19discrimination.
25:21This can only change
25:23when women
25:25are involved in
25:27every aspect of life.
25:29Women's struggle
25:31to get out
25:33of the womb
25:35is a big part of their life.
25:39I feel that
25:41there has been a lot of change
25:43in celebrating
25:45the birth of girls.
25:47I feel that
25:49we can talk about
25:51progress and safety
25:53when equality comes here.
25:55Everything starts from home.
25:57I want to tell you something.
25:59I have four sisters.
26:01After four sisters,
26:03I had a brother.
26:07When my father
26:09looks at us,
26:11he says that
26:13we are as capable
26:15as our sons.
26:17If you have heard of
26:19Premanand Maharaj,
26:21he says that
26:23your deeds are so good
26:25that you have a daughter.
26:27I agree that
26:29women's self-respect
26:31increases.
26:33Families who listen to
26:35the good words of
26:37Premanand Maharaj
26:39will also change their
26:41families.
26:43But God has
26:45made us so capable
26:47that we are able to fight.
26:49I can relate to this.
26:51I have four sisters.
26:53I have three more sisters.
26:55We are waiting
26:57for our brother.
26:59But he is not here.
27:01We are here.
27:03I feel that
27:05where there are four daughters,
27:07women get more empowerment.
27:09I am seeing you
27:11and myself.
27:13Totally.
27:15Women empowerment
27:17raises a sensitive question
27:19in the society.
27:21You must have heard
27:23that recently
27:25there have been many
27:27cases of male suicide.
27:29Atul Subhash
27:31from the IT sector
27:33and Manav
27:35have also committed suicide.
27:37There are many talks
27:39that women are misusing
27:41their laws
27:43and that is why
27:45men are being raped.
27:47But if we compare
27:49the violence against women
27:51in India,
27:53society has become
27:55used to hearing
27:57that women are being
27:59raped.
28:01Men are being raped.
28:03This is being highlighted.
28:05What is your opinion on this?
28:07Are women really misusing
28:09their laws?
28:11Or are they being highlighted?
28:13First of all,
28:15what happened with Atul Subhash
28:17has to do with justice.
28:19Just like I fight for women's
28:21rights,
28:23if a woman has done
28:25something wrong,
28:27she should get justice.
28:29Also, the case of Manav
28:31and his wife
28:33are in the same trap
28:35where we judge first
28:37and the court
28:39takes the decision later.
28:41Let's say,
28:43the case of two women
28:45has come to light.
28:47Those two women misused
28:49their laws or gave them
28:51a mental health issue
28:53and they had to take this step.
28:55If you look at the percentage,
28:57the highest suicide rate
28:59in India
29:01is of
29:03housewives.
29:05If you look at
29:07that figure,
29:09you will understand
29:11that the conversation
29:13that is going on
29:15is a very confused one.
29:17Let's say,
29:191% of India's population
29:21is a housewife.
29:238% of India's population
29:25is a housewife.
29:27But there are
29:2980-90% such cases
29:31where this is happening
29:33to women.
29:35Please understand,
29:37women are being used
29:39as a power tool
29:41in their homes,
29:43in their countries,
29:45in their societies,
29:47etc.
29:49This is a very
29:51wrong narrative.
29:53I will continue
29:55to fight for such
29:57causes also
29:59where men are wrong
30:01and they should be
30:03given justice.
30:05But to confuse them
30:07by saying that
30:09a man is harmful
30:11for women's empowerment
30:13in a male-dominated country.
30:15It is wrong.
30:17It is wrong.
30:19There are some cases
30:21where women are wrong
30:23and men are wrong.
30:25There should be a balance.
30:27You cannot say that
30:29women are misusing
30:31this law.
30:33But more than 80% of women
30:35feel that they will get justice
30:37I don't want to
30:39highlight this
30:41and say that
30:43we should remove
30:45all these laws and
30:47remove these sections.
30:49This would be a huge
30:51disservice to women
30:53if we move
30:55in a different direction.
30:57You have mentioned
30:59that you have seen
31:01Chhawa film recently.
31:03There was a film called
31:05Sandhya Malhotra Ji.
31:07Have you seen
31:09any trailer of that film?
31:11I have heard
31:13a lot about it on Twitter.
31:15I have seen the trailer
31:17that it is about a kitchen
31:19and his family is being
31:21taunted.
31:23I haven't seen the movie yet.
31:25I don't want to judge the movie
31:27or say anything about it.
31:29Again,
31:31I haven't seen it yet.
31:33I will wait for the trailer.
31:35I will give my opinion on the movie.
31:37The movie is on OTT.
31:39We will talk about
31:41Mrs. Movie next time.
31:43I had the opportunity
31:45to bring Mrs. Movie
31:47on Facebook
31:49and other social media sites.
31:51I was making memes
31:53about two people
31:55cooking together.
31:57The movie shows
31:59that she is a housewife
32:01and her in-laws
32:03control her.
32:05If she is cooking biryani,
32:07it should be in the cooker.
32:09It happens in many houses.
32:11Let's be honest.
32:15I don't go to the kitchen
32:17that often.
32:19Sometimes it happens
32:21that the food is not
32:23properly cooked.
32:25Sometimes it happens
32:27that the food is not in the kitchen.
32:29Some people say that
32:31it is difficult to cook for two people.
32:33It is possible.
32:35Not all women are the same.
32:37Not all women are sensitive.
32:39Not all men are the same.
32:41Not all men
32:43are dominant.
32:45Not all women
32:47are sensitive.
32:49Not all women have different
32:51sensibilities and upbringings.
32:53Let me tell you one thing.
32:55Even today,
32:57when a girl is born,
32:59she is told
33:01that she has to
33:03take care of the kitchen
33:05when she grows up.
33:07She is mentally conditioned.
33:09When a mother
33:11is sick,
33:13she is told to take care of the kitchen.
33:15She is told to take care of the kitchen.
33:17She is not told that.
33:19It is a mental conditioning.
33:21It is a mental conditioning.
33:23It is a mental conditioning.
33:25It is possible that she is having a problem.
33:27It is up to us to decide.
33:29In our society,
33:31we have been conditioned since childhood
33:33that you have to take care of the house,
33:35you have to take care of the kids,
33:37you have to take care of the kitchen.
33:39Not that I have a problem with it.
33:41Not that I have a problem with it.
33:43When the mind is conditioned,
33:45if a woman wants to go against it,
33:47she is feeling guilt.
33:49She is not able to take care of the kitchen.
33:51She is not able to take care of the kitchen.
33:53She is not able to cook the way we cook.
33:55She can cook according to her wish.
33:57You can change your things.
33:59You can adjust.
34:01You are bringing a girl home.
34:03You are bringing her as a daughter.
34:05You are bringing her as a daughter-in-law.
34:07Not that I have seen the movie.
34:09I am not going to comment on it.
34:11I am not going to comment on it.
34:13It feels like you have seen the movie.
34:15No, I have not seen it.
34:17You told me that you have a problem with food.
34:19I have seen the trailer.
34:21If I would have seen it,
34:23I would have nothing to hide it.
34:25It's fine.
34:27It's a common discussion.
34:29It's a common discussion.
34:31Even if you don't watch the movie,
34:33I will tell you that
34:35I don't cook with my sisters.
34:37I don't cook with my sisters.
34:39My elder sister likes to cook.
34:41She is interested in the kitchen.
34:43My younger sister is not interested.
34:45My younger sister is not interested.
34:47My younger sister is not interested.
34:49What should I say?
34:51There are 4 ways in our house.
34:53I feel like I am seeing myself in Priyanka Chaturvedi's form.
34:55I feel like I am seeing myself in Priyanka Chaturvedi's form.
34:57Priyanka Chaturvedi is right in the house.
34:59Priyanka Chaturvedi is right in the house.
35:03Whatever suits you.
35:05Please adapt to that.
35:07Let society not judge you what you are doing and what you are not doing.
35:09Even if people are saying on Twitter
35:11that it's fine, you can share your opinion.
35:13That should not change.
35:15How the women feel about the kitchen
35:17and their life and their families.
35:19and their life and their families.
35:21Initially, we talked about
35:23a lot of politicians.
35:25a lot of politicians.
35:27We talked about Sarojini Naidu.
35:29We talked about Sarojini Naidu.
35:31We talked about Sujata Kripalani.
35:33In between all this,
35:35in the current scenario,
35:37how important do you feel your role is
35:39in Indian politics?
35:41In the current scenario, how important do you feel your role is
35:43in Indian politics?
35:45I am not even
35:471%
35:49close to women.
35:51I am inspired by them
35:53and I hope that
35:55wherever I will be in any role,
35:57I will be active
35:59for women and the country.
36:01I wouldn't say
36:03I am anywhere close to those women.
36:05Current circumstances
36:07don't need women
36:09who have fought so much.
36:11They have made our path a little easier.
36:13easier. But there are a lot of things left for women to do. I feel proud that I was there
36:25when this law was passed in the parliament that women will get 33% reservation. So, in
36:31the future, I will be able to work for women as a woman. For example, I got a lot of trolling
36:39recently when there was a case in India's Got Latin show on Ranbir Alavariya. It was
36:45a little too much. The FIRs were coming in non-stop from everywhere. But my belief was
36:51that we have a societal format. If we take care of that area in our mind, everyone has
36:57freedom of expression. But that comes with our constitution, comes with some reservations.
37:04In the US, we have freedom of speech with no ifs and buts. In India, we have it. So,
37:10people keep comparing us to people in America. They joke about what we can do in India.
37:16In India, because we have reservations, our cultural values are very different from those
37:22of other countries. So, we need to take some responsibility. People tell me that Priyanka
37:30becomes a warrior of freedom of speech. But I also know that my constitution tells me
37:34to be limited in that space. So, sometimes I do take a path which may not be much liked
37:41by a lot of people. But I do it because it is my responsibility towards the society.
37:49We have talked a lot. Let's play a little rapid fire with you.
37:55Okay, so let's start. If not politics, what would be your career?
38:01I would be a writer.
38:03Oh, you like writing?
38:05I like it.
38:06What do you like to write?
38:08I like to write about policies and policy issues, majorly. Because I read a lot also.
38:14So, my second path would be... and I used to write. I used to have columns, but I left
38:19them. And I focused on this. And I think I will write a book. It will be a fun book.
38:27A fun book of a woman who comes into politics from a totally non-political background, learns
38:32through her journey and reaches wherever she is. So, it will be a fun book. It will not
38:36be, hai main bechari. It will be, this bechari has managed to pass all the exams we had to
38:43do while enjoying my life.
38:45One Indian dish you cannot say no to?
38:49Vada pav. It's a very Mumbai dish. Never say no.
38:53Vada pav. Main aaj vada pav kha kar aayi hoon, in Delhi.
38:58Oh, nice.
39:01Tea or coffee?
39:03Tea.
39:04Tea.
39:05Favourite film? Bollywood film?
39:09Bollywood film? Dilwale Dulhania le jayenge. I don't know aaj ki generation dekhi hogi
39:14ki nahi, but that was like an iconic movie for me.
39:18Dekhi hui hain. Yeh kuch iconic movies hain jo sab dekhi hain.
39:22Dilwale Dulhania le jayenge. Shah Rukh Khan.
39:24Favourite Bollywood actress?
39:28Actress. So, there used to be Manjuli Dixit and now it's Deepika Paro.
39:32Oh, nice. Your views on Kangana Ranaut?
39:37Kangana Ranaut, all I can say is that some of her comments are something which I don't
39:43totally align with. But again, independent woman in her space, woh jo kolti hain, woh
39:49apne zindagi, apne terms and conditions pe tere hain. She's an independent, bold woman.
39:57Great. A mistake that taught biggest lesson to you?
40:04I don't think, anything that teaches you is never a mistake.
40:10Anything which you can recall and you can say to us?
40:16Nahi. I'm actually very, no, no, not really. Aisa koi kalti mujhe hui nahi.
40:22Aapke life ka best moment?
40:26Jab main pehli baar mother bani thi. I always used to think I will not be a good mother.
40:33Now I don't know why children will judge me in the future.
40:36Par jab main pehli baar apne bete ko dekha tha, hua tha.
40:40Toh jo, I think that was the most precious moment of my life.
40:44As a mother, aap apne aapko 8 se 10 mein, kitna number dil?
40:49Main toh main aapko 10 on 10 dungi, bachche might disagree.
40:53Nahi, nahi. I think if I have to give myself a number, 6 on 10.
40:586, nice. Very diplomatic yet, nice.
41:046, aaj bhi nahi 6.
41:07Aap ek politician ke taur pe aap apne aapko kitna number dilgi?
41:15Okay, 8 on 10.
41:188 on 10.
41:20Then what are the parts which you think aap usko improve kar sakti hai, 10 on 10 ke liye?
41:27I think kyunki abhi bahot seekhna hai.
41:29Abhi toh raajneeti mein hum log toh seekhi rahe hain.
41:33And my political journey abhi, jitni bhi hai, jo bhi hai, usme aur seekhna hai.
41:38Isliye woh jo 2 points maine rakhe hain, woh isliye rakhe hain ki abhi aur seekhna baaki hai.
41:44Aap apne aapko kahan tak pauch?
41:46Kya aap kabhi Pradhan Mantri banna chahengi?
41:51Jab tak I think Modi ji is around, koi bhi iske baal mein soch nahi raha hoga.
41:56BJP wala bhi nahi soch rahe hoge.
41:58But nahi, I don't, main maanti hu ki Bhagwan ne meri takdeer mein jo likha hai,
42:04woh mujhe nishchat milega.
42:06Aur main iss seva se kaam karte hain, iss bhaav se kaam karte hain,
42:10ki jo bhi mainat hai, agar kisi 2 logon ki bhi zindagi badal rahi hai,
42:15toh meri zindagi kaamyaab hai.
42:17Aur main ishi ko apna, I think this is my only standard of judging myself.
42:23Aise karm karo, ki aane wale samay mein koi yeh ungli uthaakar na keh sake,
42:27ki Priyanka tumhare haton se yeh galat hua, ya tumhare vicharo se yeh galat hua.
42:35Something, we are coming to an end.
42:37Toh aaj aap ek kaafi strong independent woman hai,
42:42toh as a strong independent woman,
42:44aap aaj ki nari ko kya salah dena chahengi?
42:47Not with respect to politics only.
42:50Life ke kisi bhi shetra mein, kisi bhi career mein, aap kya salah dena chahengi?
42:55Main bas yeh hi kaungi, be bold, be confident,
42:58and the world awaits your presence.
43:03Bas, because I don't need any lessons to give them,
43:07they are themselves very confident,
43:09they are themselves very committed to be able to achieve them.
43:13Great.
43:14Bahut accha laga aap se baat karke, your clarity of thoughts,
43:17especially I loved it,
43:19and your stakes, whether it's opposition,
43:22whether it's your own party,
43:24what are your thoughts,
43:26aap ispe kitni particular hai,
43:28yeh mujhe accha laga ki,
43:29aap bahut ek party politics mein bandh ke nahi hai,
43:32your individuality is your individuality,
43:34and this is the best a woman should learn.
43:37So, aap se baat karke mujhe bahut accha laga,
43:40aur main chahungi ki aap aise hi din par din,
43:44aur toh ko humari jaisi mahilaon ko,
43:46duniya ki saari mahilaon ko inspire kare,
43:48aur differentiation powerful hoga.
43:51Keep loving me, and keep getting inspired,
43:54that is all I see.
43:55Aap log kyun sabke aashir baat baat rahe hain, bas.
43:57Nahi, nahi.
43:58Humesha, main toh khud ko powerful maanti hu,
44:02mujhe lagta hai ki as a woman,
44:03agar hum ghar se nikal ke chaar seediyan chad raha hai,
44:06toh humne jo chaar seediyon pe struggle kiya hai,
44:10usko humse behtar koi define nahi kar sakta.
44:12Absolutely, absolutely.
44:14And celebrate each other, most important.
44:16Toh Women's Day, haan toh Women's Day pe baat karte hain,
44:20toh kya aapko kya lagta hai ki,
44:22waise toh women's ki baate bahut hoti hain,
44:25rajneeti bhi bahut hoti hain,
44:27kya kya key sectors hain,
44:30ya factors hain, areas hain,
44:32jinme mahilaon ke liye kaam kiya jaa sakta hai, zyada.
44:35Arre bohot saari, bohot saari jagah hain,
44:37jahaan pe mahilaon ka awaaz sunna zaruri hai,
44:40khaas karke abhi technology space mein,
44:42tech mein, artificial intelligence aara hai,
44:44toh jo data sets use hote hain,
44:46kaafi male, jo data aata hai,
44:49usme bhi kaafi, we see more of male oriented thoughts
44:53than women oriented thoughts.
44:55Toh AI mein gender representation and gender involvement
44:58and gender equity,
45:00tech spaces mein, there they are equity,
45:02education and health,
45:04chalo India is doing well in those parameters,
45:06we are seeing more women do post grad,
45:08but kaise unki bhaagidariye,
45:11you know, work spaces badhaya hain,
45:13economic contribution unka kaise badhana chahiye,
45:16how do we help these small entrepreneurs,
45:18women entrepreneurs, who want to work from home,
45:20who want to start their businesses from home,
45:22how do we make loans more accessible to them,
45:24financial inclusion unka kaise ho,
45:26wo abhi bhi kaafi cheezein hain,
45:28jahaan pe mahilaon ke liye humein kaam kar raha hai,
45:31there is one level which is country level,
45:34the other is globally,
45:36climate change hota hai,
45:38toh sabse pehle mahilaon ke saath dikkat hoti hai,
45:40war time mein mahilaon ke saath hoti hai,
45:42agar global recession hota hai,
45:45toh sabse pehle mahilaon ko hi bhukatna padta hai,
45:48job jo jaati hain pehle mahilaon ki jaati hain,
45:50toh in saari cheezon ko club karkar,
45:53dhyaan mein rakkar,
45:55humein yeh baatsheet karte rehna padhega,
45:58toh women's day is a reminder
46:00to every single citizen of the world,
46:04ke aapka commitment hai,
46:06ke jo yeh sansaar hai,
46:09usme 50% humaari bhaagidari hai,
46:11utna humara involvement hona chahiye,
46:14utna humara policy making spaces mein jaga hone chahiye.
46:17Bilkul, bohot achi baat kahi aapne,
46:20aur issi ke saath hum ab ek antim padhaon par pahod chuke hain,
46:24aapse baat karte hain,
46:26bohot acha laga,
46:27aur jaldi milenge aage bohot saari baate karenge.
46:31Thank you so much,
46:32thank you,
46:33it was lovely talking to you all.
46:34See you.