New Delhi: A statement of Maharashtra BJP MLA Ravi Rana that if “sisters” don’t vote for the BJP in the upcoming assembly elections, then the government would take back the Rs 1,500 promised under the Laadli Behna scheme has resulted in a controversy.
The BJP-led NDA government had allocated 25,000 crore for the scheme, which was announced just months ahead of the Assembly elections, reported The New Indian Express.
MLA Rana, who is the husband of BJP leader Navneet Rana made the remarks in Amrawati while he was distributing certificates for the scheme.
Rana added that if the government returned to power, then the government would increase the amount from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 under the scheme.
But if “sisters” failed to vote for him, then he would withdraw the amount, said Rana, reported The New Indian Express.
The NDA had earlier suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections when 30 out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra were won by the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi-INDIA (MVA-INDIA). The NDA could win only 17 seats.
Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress attacked Rana and the MahaYuti regime and alleged that it is trying to cheat the women of the state and attempting to buy out their votes for Rs 1,500 dole in the upcoming elections.
“What Rana has spoken is the mind of the Chief Minister and his deputies… Do they think that our sisters will sell their votes for a paltry Rs 1,500?,” he asked, reported Deccan Herald.
This article was originally published on The Wire on August 13, 2024.
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