Ladki Bahin: Mahayuti in damage control mode after MLAs’ controversial remarks

Mumbai: The ruling Mahayuti alliance’s leadership resorted to damage control on Tuesday after controversial remarks by two of its MLAs in connection with the Maharashtra government’s new “Ladki Bahin Yojana”, even as the Opposition continued to allege that the scheme to give monthly assistance of ₹1,500 to underprivileged women was just a sop ahead of the upcoming state polls.
At a function organised in his constituency Badnera on Monday, independent MLA Ravi Rana, who is associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party, said, “Post elections, I will seek to increase the amount [under the Ladki Bahin scheme] from ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 [per month]. I am your brother…But if you don’t give your blessing now, I will take back the ₹1,500 from your bank accounts.”
Shiv Sena MLA Mahesh Shinde, at a public function in his Koregaon constituency on Tuesday, told his workers to identify scheme beneficiaries who speak against the government. He was referring to a social media post by a family member of one of the beneficiaries criticising the government.
“You know your MLA, who knows every voter from every village. Identify such voters, and prepare a list. We will take appropriate steps against them in December after the election,” he said while addressing his workers.
Sensing the potential damage from the remarks, a minister raised the issue in the state cabinet during a presentation on the Ladki Bahin scheme, slated to be launched on Raksha Bandhan, which falls on August 17. The minister said such statements defame the government and damage the scheme. He was seconded by other ministers and expressed the need to stop such errant politicians from the ruling parties.
Chief minister Eknath Shinde endorsed the sentiments and said that the ruling parties’ leaders should restrain themselves from making such remarks. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said it was time to stop such “big mouth” leaders. His co-deputy Devendra Fadnavis, at a rally in Jalgaon, assured that the scheme benefits would not be rolled back. “Nobody can take back the Bhaubij gift we are giving to our sisters,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Opposition attacked the state government and its leaders for threatening the beneficiaries. NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule played an audio clip of Rana’s remarks at a function in Solapur and said, “I am warning him, on behalf of the women in the state, that you just dare stop the ₹1,500 benefit; we will fix you.”
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the ruling alliance leaders were acting as if they were paying for the benefits out of their own pockets. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Rana would not be seen in the state legislature again.
After the controversy snowballed, Rana issued a clarification, saying the remarks were made in jest. “A brother never takes back money given to his sister. He always helps her. Whatever I said was said jokingly,” he said.
The state government has received 10.2 million for the Ladki Bahin scheme, who are eligible to receive ₹3,000, the benefit for the first two months. As part of a dry run ahead of the launch, the state government deposited ₹1 in some of the beneficiaries’ accounts.
“There are 2.7 million applications that have passed the scrutiny step but are not linked with Aadhaar, which is mandatory for the transfer of the benefit. We have asked the district machinery to link as many as possible until August 17, the grand launch of the programme in Pune,” said women and child development minister Aditi Tatkare.