India, Nov. 28 -- The recent Bihar election will be remembered for the quiet, firm resolve of the state's women voters - Bihar recorded its highest-ever turnout since 1951, at around 66.9%; 71.6% of eligible women cast their vote, compared with 62.8% of men. Women's choices are reshaping the nation's political landscape, and Bihar is a powerful witness to that. However, almost immediately, a familiar narrative surfaced: Women "voted for money", attracted by cash transfers and welfare schemes. It is both factually shallow and deeply disrespectful. Bihar's women endorsed a model of governance that finally sees them, puts their name on bank accounts, gas connections, house-ownership documents - and, by extension, in the decision-making. Across Western European countries, regular cash support to families - child benefits, parental leave, income support - is accepted as the backbone of a humane society. It helps mothers stay in the workforce, protects children from poverty, and gives families stability. No one there calls it "vote buying". Nobel laureate economist Esther Duflo in her research has shown that when women control more income and assets, they invest more in their children's education, nutrition and health: Women's empowerment and economic development reinforce each other. That is exactly what putting money into women's hands is meant to do. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has built one of the world's largest and cleanest social security delivery systems, powered by the Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) trinity. The International Monetary Fund describes India's Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system as a "logistical marvel" that reaches hundreds of millions of low-income citizens, with programs "specifically targeting women, the elderly and farmers". Crucially, women are not peripheral to this system; they are at its heart: Jan Dhan Yojana brought crores of women into the banking system. Ujjwala Yojana protects their health and saves time, which can go into paid work, self-help group activity or children's education. Awas Yojana encourages house registration in the woman's name, individually or jointly. Maternity and nutrition schemes protect both mother and child at a critical time. Under chief minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar has followed a clear "women-first" approach - from pioneering 35% reservation in government jobs to cycles for schoolgirls, from the Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan support to girls from birth to graduation to the Jeevika didi initiative for economic empowerment of rural women. These organised women to claim their rights and access schemes without fear. Policies made in New Delhi and Patna have reached the last mile with unusual speed and credibility. Bihar's women saw that both the Union and the state governments were pulling in the same direction, towards dignity, security and opportunity. And they voted accordingly. To call this "voting for free money" is to refuse to see the transformation inside the household. The support from women is the result of years of consistent work not just in Bihar's villages and towns but across India, where women's voices have been heard and taken seriously. Women have been asked simple but powerful questions: What is troubling you the most, what is your dream for your children, and what do you expect from your government? They rarely spoke about "freebies"; instead, they spoke of safety for their daughters, honest ration delivery, decent houses, toilets, smokeless kitchens, good schools, and a small financial cushion against illness or job-loss. Volunteers, workers from the ruling parties' women's units, and grassroots organisations could, therefore, treat these conversations as an agenda for action. Over time, this has quietly created a strong, women-led ecosystem. Many began as homemakers or daily-wage earners and, with a little support, became problem-solvers their neighbourhoods now rely on. This network is not flashy, but women know it is there. In many places, when a ration dealer cheats, when a widow is denied her due, or when a girl is stopped from studying, the first call is to a trusted "didi" who knows how to intervene. That kind of trust is built patiently, over years - and it is precisely this trust that the ruling dispensation's women-centred governance has been able to tap into and strengthen. Women are informed citizens who weigh performance, delivery and respect. Saying they "voted for money" demeans the judgement of millions of women who voted for hope, security and respect. The Opposition should constructively debate welfare design, strategy, and priorities rather than demeaning Bihar's women....