A major political controversy has erupted in Jharkhand over the exclusion of 5.46 lakh women from the Maiya Samman Yojana, a flagship welfare scheme of the Hemant Soren-led government. While the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the state government of exploiting poor women for electoral gains, the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.

In a press conference held on Monday, BJP state spokesperson Rafia Naz criticized the decision to remove lakhs of women from the beneficiary list after the elections, calling it a case of “political betrayal.”

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“This is not an administrative error but a deliberate fraud. The government distributed money through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) before the elections and is now calling these women ineligible. Was there no document verification earlier? Why this sudden reversal?” she asked.

The Maiya Samman Yojana, launched in 2024, was aimed at providing direct financial support to women across Jharkhand. As per government data, over 43 lakh women initially received benefits, but after Aadhaar linking and document verification in March 2025, the list was revised to include only 37.55 lakh eligible women. The removal of 5.46 lakh beneficiaries has now become a flashpoint in state politics.

The BJP has termed this move as electoral opportunism. “Women stood in lines for hours, many in tattered slippers, just to avail the scheme. Now, they’re being humiliated. Will they be forced to return the money or take loans to repay it?” Rafia asked, warning that the government’s action could push many poor families into debt and social embarrassment.

However, the JMM has strongly rebutted the allegations, accusing the BJP of misleading the public and disrespecting the electoral mandate.

JMM general secretary and spokesperson Vinod Kumar Pandey stated, “The BJP has been reduced to a party of obstruction and misinformation. They are using the dignity of poor sisters and daughters as a political tool. If they cared so much, why didn’t they initiate such a scheme during their tenure?”

He added that the Hemant Soren government had successfully extended financial support to nearly 58–60 lakh women through various initiatives including Maiya Samman Yojana and was committed to ensuring that only genuine beneficiaries continued to receive aid. “This government does not believe in appeasement but in equitable development. Verification is necessary to prevent misuse and ensure the right people benefit.”

Defending the government’s actions, Pandey said, “Every welfare scheme must have checks and balances. Aadhaar verification was essential. The BJP is twisting facts and spreading confusion among women.”

He further claimed that the opposition was rattled by the government’s strides in education, healthcare, and employment, and is now resorting to propaganda to tarnish its image. “The INDIA bloc was chosen for governance and development. We won’t be distracted by the BJP’s smear campaigns,” he said.

As the debate intensifies, the Maiya Samman Yojana has become symbolic of a larger national concern: whether welfare schemes are genuinely transformative or politically expedient.