Has Congress Exposed AAP's Betrayal of Women Over Financial Aid?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Partap Singh Bajwa criticizes Bhagwant Mann for misleading women.
- The Rs 1,000 financial assistance scheme has not been implemented.
- Women are demanding accountability from the government.
- Promises made before the election have not been fulfilled.
- The issue highlights governance challenges in Punjab.
Chandigarh, Nov 4 (NationPress) The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, has harshly criticized Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for allegedly deceiving the women of the state with repeated falsehoods and unfulfilled promises regarding the Rs 1,000 monthly financial assistance scheme that was introduced prior to the 2022 Assembly elections.
Bajwa emphasized that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ascended to power by igniting the hopes of millions of women who trusted Mann's pledge of direct financial aid.
“Three years later, that promise remains unfulfilled, buried beneath a heap of excuses and empty assurances. Each time women remind the Chief Minister of his commitment, he sidesteps the issue with irrelevant justifications,” the LoP asserted in a statement.
The seasoned Congress leader pointed out that during the recent Tarn Taran Assembly bye-election campaign, women once again sought clarity from Chief Minister Mann, only to receive yet another empty promise that the scheme would be executed in the 2026-27 Budget session.
As the 2024 Lok Sabha elections approach, Mann attempted to add a twist to his deception by increasing the promised amount to Rs 1,100 per month, claiming that the scheme would commence right after the elections.
Nevertheless, the 2025-26 state Budget was presented without any reference to this purported flagship initiative, Bajwa noted.
Labeling the promise as a “classic case of political betrayal,” the LoP stated that Mann's government has callously misled the women of Punjab, exploiting their aspirations for political advantage.
“If the Chief Minister genuinely intends to honor his long-postponed pledge in 2026-27, he must also compensate women for the arrears dating back to 2022—the year he vowed to launch this scheme immediately after forming the AAP government in Punjab,” Bajwa asserted.
He concluded that the continuous postponements of the scheme reveal the feeble governance and deceptive propaganda of the AAP government.
“The women of Punjab will not forgive a government that exploited their empowerment as a campaign slogan and then conveniently neglected them after gaining power,” Bajwa declared.