Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole.
Credit: X/@Nana_Patole
Mumbai: Launching a fierce attack on the MahaYuti-NDA government in the wake of issues involving the Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana, the Congress said that the "three brothers" who came to power with the votes gathered because of the scheme, have betrayed millions of sisters in Maharashtra.
Amid reports that the scheme is facing financial constraints leading to plans to scuttle or close other schemes and scrutiny of beneficiaries, the Congress launched the attack on CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
“Through the Ladki Bahin scheme, the BJP-led Mahayuti government has defrauded millions of women in the state. To secure votes, they promised Rs 1,500 to all sisters and, after coming to power, have now begun cutting off this financial assistance. The government has declared 5 lakh sisters ineligible, and there is a possibility that several more lakh beneficiaries will also be disqualified. This action of the government amounts to a betrayal of its beloved sisters,” state Congress President Nana Patole said.
According to him, the Ladki Bahin scheme was merely an electoral gimmick to attract the votes of women during the Assembly elections. "We repeatedly warned that the BJP-led alliance would reveal its true colors after the elections, and now their so-called 'brothers' have started treating their beloved sisters like outsiders," he said. Initially, Rs 1,500 was given to all, and they promised Rs 2,100 per month after coming to power. However, instead of increasing the amount, the government has now imposed conditions and disqualified many beneficiaries,” he said.
“Fadnavis, Shinde and Pawar have deceived millions of women in the state. Criteria are usually set while implementing a scheme, but the government ignored this to win votes, and now, after gaining power, they are using these criteria to stop payments—an unfortunate development,” he said.
On the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s charges against the Election Commission vis-a-vis Maharashtra polls, Patole said, “These are serious concerns, yet the Election Commission remains silent. The role of the Election Commission in the Assembly elections appears suspicious, as highlighted by Gandhi. Why, then, has Fadnavis and his associates reacted so strongly?"
"Has the BJP officially taken up the defence of the Election Commission? The Election Commission is supposed to be an independent body responsible for conducting fair and transparent elections. The Congress and other opposition parties have raised legitimate concerns, and the Election Commission must provide satisfactory answers. If BJP and Fadnavis, who is defending the Commission, believe there was no malpractice, then why hesitate to answer?” Patole asked.