Cong attacks Maha govt for ‘cheating’ women under Ladki Bahin scheme

Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti government faces accusations from the Congress party of "cheating" millions of women through the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme. The allegations stem from a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report revealing that around 6.2 million beneficiaries were removed from the program.

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Those who cheated god have also cheated our sisters. They took away the ladki bahin’s rights just as they took away the offerings meant for Lord Ram.

Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe Patil stated at a press briefing that the government "took away the ladki bahin’s rights just as they took away the offerings meant for Lord Ram," drawing a parallel to past allegations of temple fund misuse. He asserted that most beneficiaries were removed after an e-KYC exercise conducted only after the election results were declared, suggesting the government acted only after securing victory.

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We are told 6.2 million eligible women have been removed, most of them after an e-KYC exercise that came only after the votes were counted. The moment the election was won, the sisters were shown the door.

Londhe Patil highlighted that the CAG report indicated removals occurred primarily after applicants failed an electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) verification process introduced post-election. He questioned the selective application of age criteria, noting that women were removed for being over 65 despite their Aadhaar cards having valid birth records. "Did the Aadhaar card not carry a date of birth when you first enrolled her? Why is her age suddenly a problem today?" he asked, alleging that eligibility criteria were manipulated to exclude women rather than register new applicants.

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Did the Aadhaar card not carry a date of birth when you first enrolled her? Why is her age suddenly a problem today?

The Congress leader also pointed to a significant gap between funds sanctioned and spent under the scheme, amounting to thousands of crore rupees, with no official explanation provided. He further criticized the online application process, which required solving a captcha, deeming it unrealistic for domestic workers and daily wage earners who constitute the majority of beneficiaries. The party suggests the actual number of women likely to be removed could exceed half the total beneficiary base.

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This is only the tip of the iceberg.