A West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party leader’s remark, advising men to lock up their wives who are beneficiaries of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme to prevent them from voting during the elections, has triggered a political row in the State. The Trinamool Congress leadership has reacted sharply, calling it an “anti-women” stance.
Kalipada Sengupta, a member of the BJP’s State committee of BJP, had made the controversial statement at a public meeting at Ghatal in Paschim Medinipur district.
“When wives go to vote for Trinamool after getting Lakshmi Bhandar, their husbands should keep them locked up in their houses,” she said.
Monthly cash allowance
The Lakshmir Bhandar scheme was launched by the State government in February 2021, ahead of the last Assembly election. It now provides cash incentives to over 2.23 crore women in the State. All women in the general category, between the ages of 25 and 60 years, are entitled to ₹1,000 per month, while those from reserved categories are entitled to ₹1,200 per month under the scheme envisaged by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
