On the occasion of Poila Baisakh or Bengali New Year, the BJP on Wednesday launched the symbolic “Matri Shakti Bharosha Card”, promising financial assistance of Rs 3,000 per month to every woman in West Bengal if the party came to power in the state.
Five women from the BJP party were handed the symbolic card at a programme in Kolkata.
In its manifesto, the BJP had announced to give Rs 3,000 monthly aid to women in West Bengal as a counter to TMC government’s already existing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
The TMC alleged that the launch of the card was a “gross violation” of the Model Code of Conduct. “This is a violation of the MCC (Model Code of Conduct) and the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer should take cognisance of it. The MCC is in force in the state. One can release the manifesto but the cards cannot be given to the beneficiaries. It is a gross violation of the poll code. We protest against this,” State minister for Women and Child Development Shashi Panja told mediapersons.
“They (BJP) have promised some financial aid and also released pictures of women being given a card. They made similar promises to the women of Delhi, but they have not been given money yet… “It is very clear that BJP is in panic mode. The internal survey report says they will get less than 50 seats this time,” the TMC leader, who is contesting from Shyampukur, added.
Earlier in the day, the launch of the card took place in the presence of BJP leader and former Union minister Smriti Irani, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, and BJP candidate Rupa Ganguly, among others.
“We have to save the Bengali culture and language as we are seeing that this government is forcefully bringing Urdu so to save the Indian and Bengali culture we have taken Sankalpa (promise). Our manifesto is “Bhoi out, Bharasha in (fear out and faith in),” said Adhikari.
Launching a scathing attack on the TMC government on women’s safety, Irani said she had “experienced of how committed TMC is to women security” when she was Minister for Women and Child Development. “PM Modi had announced a ‘one stop centre’ in every district for women who have faced harassment, where victims would get medical attention, police assistance and legal support. In Bengal, I had struggled to get it implemented,” Irani said.
Irani added that there are “more than 900 one stop centres across the country and over 1,000 fast track courts.”
She alleged that “Regarding Bengal, in the RG Kar rape and murder case, it is sad that when the mother wanted to exercise her democratic right, TMC goons harassed her.”