4 months ago
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A West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party leader’s remark, advising men to fastener up their wives who are beneficiaries of the Lakshmir Bhandar strategy to forestall them from voting during the elections, has triggered a governmental enactment successful the State. The Trinamool Congress enactment has reacted sharply, calling it an “anti-women” stance.
Kalipada Sengupta, a subordinate of the BJP’s State committee of BJP, had made the arguable connection astatine a nationalist gathering astatine Ghatal successful Paschim Medinipur district.
“When wives spell to ballot for Trinamool aft getting Lakshmi Bhandar, their husbands should support them locked up successful their houses,” she said.
Monthly currency allowance
The Lakshmir Bhandar strategy was launched by the State authorities in February 2021, up of the past Assembly election. It present provides cash incentives to implicit 2.23 crore women successful the State. All women successful the wide category, betwixt the ages of 25 and 60 years, are entitled to ₹1,000 per month, portion those from reserved categories are entitled to ₹1,200 per period nether the strategy envisaged by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Over the past fewer years, this strategy is believed to person held the women electorate firmly down the Trinamool Congress, contempt incidents of attacks against women successful the State.
‘Patriarchal barbarism’
After attempting to delete morganatic voters successful the State, the BJP enactment is indulging successful “feudal and patriarchal barbarism by urging husbands to fastener up their wives astatine home, truthful women empowered by Lakshmir Bhandar can’t measurement retired to vote,” said Trinamool Congress person Abhishek Banerjee.
“BJP has threatened to scrap Lakshmir Bhandar the time they prehend power...? In 2026, those precise women you privation caged volition march to the polling booths successful millions and hide your regressive, Bangla-Birodhi, Nari-Birodhi authorities forever,” Mr. Banerjee said.
State Minister and elder Trinamool person Sashi Panja said that the mode BJP leaders are openly trying to intimidate and terrorise the women of Bengal is thing abbreviated of shameful. “Let it beryllium made clear: if women choose, they person each close to record FIRs against these threats,” she added.
Ms. Sengupta’s remarks travel astatine a clip erstwhile the State BJP enactment arsenic good arsenic Union Home Minister Amit Shah person assured voters that nary existing strategy volition beryllium scrapped if the BJP comes to powerfulness aft the 2026 Assembly election.
