The battle over welfare schemes has intensified in West Bengal, with CPI-M state secretary Mohammed Salim on Sunday taking a sharp swipe at the Trinamul Congress government’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme and promising higher financial assistance for women if the Left returns to power.
Addressing a programme organised by the All India Democratic Women’s Association, Salim described Lakshmir Bhandar as a “token appeasement” and a “minor penalty out of looted wealth,” alleging that the scheme was aimed at securing votes rather than ensuring genuine empowerment. He claimed that a Left government would be able to provide substantially higher monthly assistance to women by curbing corruption and stopping the alleged siphoning of public funds. “Kitchen expenses have risen, while incomes have fallen. Giving Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 and calling it a ‘Bhandar’ is misleading. The real ‘bhandar’ was found under ministers’ beds and in the houses of their associates. What women are receiving is only a fraction of the looted wealth,” Salim said.
Participating in a book release programme of veteran Left leader Brinda Karat, Salim also alleged that chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s welfare schemes prefixed with ‘Sri’ were modelled on Kerala’s Kudumbashree initiative. “Kerala showed the way 25 years ago. What is being done here is merely a copy,” he said.