THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, May 12: A major political row has broken out in Jharkhand following the removal of 5.46 lakh women from the Maiyaan Samman Yojana, a state-run welfare scheme designed to support women through direct financial transfers. The fresh exclusions have intensified the already simmering feud between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), each accusing the other of exploiting women for political gains.
BJP Accuses JMM of Betrayal
The BJP launched a sharp attack on the state government over the decision, calling it a betrayal of trust. Party spokesperson Rafia Naz accused the Hemant Soren-led administration of using poor women as a vote bank during elections and then discarding them once the ballots were counted.
“This is a clear case of fraud,” Naz said. “First, they handed out money to gain votes, and now they’re humiliating the same women by calling them ineligible. If even a single rupee is recovered from these women, the BJP will launch a statewide protest.”
She further claimed that these women were made to stand in long queues, some barefoot, clinging to the hope of support. “Now they’re being labelled ineligible? Will they be forced to take loans to return the so-called wrongful benefits?” she asked.
JMM Defends Scheme Clean-Up
In response, the JMM has defended the exclusions, arguing that the move was part of a clean-up operation to remove ineligible applicants due to errors in Aadhaar linkage and documentation. Party spokesperson Vinod Pandey accused the BJP of spreading misinformation to mislead the public.
“The scheme has benefited nearly 60 lakh women, and our government has worked to ensure fair implementation without discrimination,” Pandey said. “The BJP is doing what it does best—creating confusion and obstructing progress.”
He added that ensuring genuine beneficiaries receive support is the government’s top priority and that the integrity of welfare delivery must be maintained.
Charges and Counter-charges
The exclusions have added fuel to the broader narrative of alleged mismanagement. The BJP has pointed to discrepancies in the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) process and claimed the government is now attempting recovery from women who were paid “by mistake.”
The JMM, on the other hand, maintains that necessary corrections were inevitable as part of the verification process and accuses the BJP of politicising a technical issue.
With the controversy gaining momentum, the fate of the 5.46 lakh women now excluded from the scheme has become a flashpoint in Jharkhand’s volatile political landscape.
