Mahila Samman Yojana row: Delhi CM Atishi slams BJP – ‘public notice in newspapers wrong’
As Delhi gears up for the 2025 Assembly Elections, Chief Minister Atishi refutes a controversial notice claiming the Mahila Samman Yojana is unnotified, attributing it to BJP's interference.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said on Wednesday that public notice published in newspapers stating that the Mahila Samman Yojana is not notified is wrong. The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that her government will take police action against the officials who brought out the notice at the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) behest.
“The notices issued in newspapers today are wrong. BJP, by putting pressure on a few officers, got this notice published today. Administrative and Police action will be taken against these officers. The information that the Mahila Samman Yojana has been notified by the Delhi Cabinet is in the public domain,” Atishi said at a press conference on Wednesday. She was flanked by former CM Arvind Kejriwal too.
She accused the BJP for pressurising the officials to bring out the notice.
As per the notice in today's newspapers, the Women and Child Development Department of the Delhi government clarified that “no such scheme” exists right now. The development triggered a political row ahead of the Delhi Assembly Election 2025.
This public notice came after AAP ministers, MLAs, and volunteers launched an extensive public outreach campaign to register people for the ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana’ and ‘Sanjeevani Yojana’.
The two AAP flagship schemes – Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana – were announced in the run-up to the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 scheduled early next year. Non-tax paying eligible women will get ₹1,000 per month in the Mahila Samman Yojana.
The Sanjeevani Yojana promises free healthcare in government and private hospitals for senior citizens if AAP comes to power.
What did the notice say?
In a public notice, the Women and Child Development Department of the Delhi government said that it received information through media reports and social media posts that “a political party” is claiming to give ₹2100 per month to the women of Delhi under the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana'.
“It is clarified that no such scheme has been notified by the Delhi government,” the statement released by the Women and Child Development Department on Wednesday read.
The Atishi-led government said earlier this month that the ₹1,000 per month, in accordance with the scheme, will be rolled out after registration. The party, however, promised to raise it to ₹2,100 per month if it comes to power in the upcoming elections.
'Plans afoot to arrest Atishi'
Kejriwal said on the occasion that plans were underway to arrest Delhi Chief Minister Atishi by framing her in fake cases in the next few days. The former chief minister said raids on senior party leaders were also underway ahead of the Delhi Assembly Election 2025.
“These people (BJP) are very upset with the Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana. They plan to arrest Atishi ji in the next few days by making a fake case. Before that, raids will be conducted on senior leaders of ‘AAP’,” Kejriwal said.
Delhi Assembly Election 2025 date?
The elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly are expected to be held in February next year. The Election Commission of India has not announced the dates yet. The term of the current assembly in Delhi expires on February 23, 2025.
AAP, led by Kejriwal, seeks to retain power in Delhi for a third time after its electoral successes in 2015 and 2020. The party won 67 seats in 2015 and 63 in 2020 in the 70-member Assembly.
The AAP has released candidates for all the 70 seats in Delhi. The BJP has not yet released any candidate list. Congress has released 47 names from two lists so far.
The notices issued in newspapers today are wrong. BJP by putting pressure on a few officers got this notice published today.
The BJP launched a scathing attack on the AAP over the fiasco, saying the notice hinted that AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and CM Atishi are not on the same page. The party also accused Kejriwal of digital fraud.
Key Takeaways
- Political tensions are escalating in Delhi as the AAP and BJP clash over the Mahila Samman Yojana.
- The notice regarding the non-existence of the scheme has raised questions about the credibility of AAP’s promises.
- The upcoming elections are likely to intensify political rivalries as parties prepare their strategies.
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Business NewsElectionsMahila Samman Yojana row: Delhi CM Atishi slams BJP – ‘public notice in newspapers wrong’
First Published:25 Dec 2024, 01:13 PM IST
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