NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Saturday lambasted the BJP-led Mahayuti government for its failure to curb Maharashtra’s rising crime rates, accusing it of inaction as criminals operate without fear. Speaking in Mumbai, the Baramati MP alleged a Rs 4,900 crore scam in the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship scheme providing Rs 1,500 monthly to economically disadvantaged women aged 21-65, and demanded a transparent Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.
Sule highlighted a surge in crimes, particularly in Pune and Beed, citing the 2022 murder of Parli businessman Mahadev Munde, where an SIT was formed only after his wife Dnyaneshwari’s self-immolation attempt and meeting with CM Devendra Fadnavis. “People have lost faith in the system. Who’s protecting these criminals?” she asked, criticizing the government’s silence.
She also condemned recent communal unrest in Yavat, Daund, where a mob vandalized properties over a social media post, urging Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Pune’s guardian minister, to restore harmony and prevent “outsiders” from disrupting the region’s social fabric.
The Ladki Bahin scam allegations stem from Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare’s admission that 26.34 lakh ineligible beneficiaries, including 14,298 men, received aid, costing Rs 1,640 crore in the scheme’s first year, with estimates reaching Rs 4,900 crore.
Sule questioned how men and ineligible women bypassed Aadhaar and bank verification, calling it a “failure of Digital India” and accusing the cabinet, led by Fadnavis, of collective responsibility. She also criticized the government for neglecting 350 farmer suicides in early 2025 and delaying a promised crop loan waiver.
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Responding to Fadnavis’ remarks on Pune’s rising hooliganism, Sule demanded action, asking, “Who’s shielding these gangsters?” She further raised concerns about voter roll irregularities in Bihar, calling for a parliamentary debate on electoral transparency. With Maharashtra’s financial health strained—Rs 7.8 lakh crore debt in 2024—the MVA’s 30-seat win in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls signals public discontent, setting the stage for a heated battle ahead of the 2025 assembly elections.
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