Chandigarh, January 2
Senior Congress leader and Sirsa MP Kumari Selja strongly targeted the government, saying that the betrayal committed by the Haryana government against women in the name of the Lado Lakshmi Scheme is highly condemnable and shameful. The scheme was launched for women’s empowerment, but today the BJP government has bound it with conditions and marks-based criteria. Selja said the government has gone back on its own commitment. Women who were supposed to receive financial assistance without discrimination are now being asked about their children’s marks. Will a mother’s worth now be decided by a report card?
Selja said imposing a condition of 80 percent marks for a modest assistance of ₹2100 is a direct injustice to poor, labourer, and rural women. “This policy does not reflect women’s empowerment, but rather a mindset aimed at humiliating women. The government has forgotten that the circumstances of every mother are not the same. Expecting such results from children studying amid lack of resources, poor conditions of government schools, and difficult social circumstances is inhuman”, she added.
Selja clearly said the benefit of the Lado Lakshmi Scheme should be given unconditionally to all women from BPL families, instead of depriving them of their rights by trapping them in a web of marks and rules. Warning the government, she said that if such treatment of women continues, the Congress party will fight strongly and raise its voice loudly for women’s rights, standing firmly to ensure they receive what is rightfully theirs. “Women’s dignity is not a favour, it is their right-and no compromise will be allowed on that right”, she concluded.
