Addressing an election rally at Uluberia in Howrah district, Shah said, “Mamata Didi says that if the BJP comes to power, it will stop the (Lakhsmir Bhandar) programme. I am telling you that the BJP is not going to stop any scheme. We will increase the benefit of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme by at least Rs 100.”

Lakhsmir Bhandar is a financial assistance scheme of the TMC government, which provides an allowance of Rs 1,000 for general-category women and Rs 1,200 for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women. The scheme, announced ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls, has been considered a game-changer for the TMC in the last several polls.

“Not a word in 2 months & now this! Has the BJP Union govt given even Re 1 for NREGA? Or Re 1 for Awas after being rejected in 2021 Bengal elections? Union govt owes State Rs 1.6+ lakh crores & Amit Shah has the gall to INSULT THE WOMEN of Bengal by offering Rs 100 as a bribe. Shame,” TMC Rajya Sabha party leader Derek O’Brien said in a post on X.

State Industry Minister Shashi Panja said: “After the Sandeshkhali incident where the BJP offered money to the women to file false complaints, Amit Shah Ji is saying that the BJP will offer Rs 100 more. This is nothing but an insult to the women of the state. We condemn it.”

The BJP, which had earlier promised to increase the allowance to Rs 3000, accused the TMC of “misconstruing” Shah’s statement. “What he meant was that this government scheme won’t be stopped, rather the BJP would increase the allowance. The TMC is trying to misconstrue his statements,” BJP spokesperson Tarunjyoti Tiwari said.

Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said, “He (Shah) meant Rs 100 per day which sums up to Rs 3,000 per month.”