In the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi once again found himself in the spotlight after mentioning Brazilian model Larissa Neri. As soon as Rahul Gandhi mentioned her name, a Member of Parliament from the Congress party began to wave a poster of the model, triggering uproar in the House.
New Delhi: The Indian Parliament was thrown into chaos when Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi mentioned Brazilian model Larissa Neri during his speech in the Lok Sabha. Following Rahul Gandhi’s statement, a heated debate erupted in the House, further escalating when a Congress MP waved a poster of Larissa Neri. Speaker Om Birla was compelled to intervene and issue a stern warning to maintain the dignity of the House.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that a photograph of a Brazilian woman was reportedly listed 22 times in the voter list of Haryana and that voting took place on 10 different booths under her name. He accused the BJP of committing such irregularities not just in Haryana but also in other states. Following this statement, a vigorous debate ensued between the ruling and opposition parties, and proceedings were temporarily suspended.
Following this entire episode, the question of who Larissa Neri is, whose name echoed in the Parliament of India, quickly began to surface across the country.
Who is Larissa Neri?
Larissa Neri is a resident of the southeastern state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. She is a hairdresser by profession and owns her own salon in the capital, Belo Horizonte. On social media, she is also recognized by many as a model, as one of her photos went widely viral on the internet. Larissa Neri came into international discussion when one of her old photos was reportedly used in the voter ID and voter lists of some Indian individuals. It was claimed that the photo was of an Indian woman, while in reality, it was a photo of a Brazilian citizen, Larissa Neri.
How did the photo reach India?
Larissa Neri herself had previously responded to the controversy. In an Instagram video, she explained that the photo allegedly misused in India was originally taken in 2017. The photo was taken by Brazilian photographer Matheus Ferreiro and later uploaded to “Unsplash,” a royalty-free photo website.
Photos available on websites like Unsplash are free for general public use and can be used for various purposes by anyone. However, the photo later became embroiled in controversy due to allegations of being misused in voter identification cards and voter lists. Following the controversy, the photographer removed the photo from his profile.
What did Larissa Neri say?
Larissa Neri expressed surprise and annoyance at the entire matter. In her video, she clearly stated that the photo was taken when she was only 18 or 20 years old. She said,
'Friends, they are using an old photo of mine. I don’t know exactly what it’s related to – an election or a vote in India. But it’s completely crazy that I’m being shown as an Indian woman. It’s utter madness.'
She also said that she was deeply shocked that her private photo was allegedly misused in such a way in political and administrative documents.
Why the uproar in Parliament?
Following Rahul Gandhi’s mention of Larissa Neri, Congress MPs presented this issue as a major example of irregularities in the voter list. The BJP, however, dismissed these allegations as a diversionary tactic by the opposition. The situation worsened after a Congress MP waved a poster in the House, prompting Speaker Om Birla to take strict action. The Speaker clearly stated that maintaining the dignity of Parliament is the responsibility of all members and that such demonstrations undermine parliamentary decorum.
