Muslim women allege discrimination over Annapurna scheme in Bengal, BJP MLA denies charge

In West Bengal, a group of Muslim women from Kethardanga, who had not received benefits under the government’s Annapurna Yojana welfare scheme, accused a BJP MLA of discrimination and humiliation, alleging that he told them Muslim women would receive the benefits only after Hindu women, a charge he denied.

The women staged a sit-in outside the office of Bankura Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) Pralay Mondal on Tuesday, demanding answers over the non-payment of their monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 under the scheme, which is intended to support women from disadvantaged families, The Wire reported.

Accompanied by leaders of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), the protesters submitted a deputation to the SDO and sought clarification on whether religion could determine eligibility for government benefits.

The protest followed a meeting on Saturday, October 3, at which the women approached Bankura MLA Niladri Sekhar Dana to enquire about their benefits under the scheme, and he allegedly invoked religious identity, saying Hindu women would receive the assistance first, while the claims of Muslim women would be considered later.

Denying the allegation that he had made discriminatory or objectionable remarks on religious grounds, the MLA acknowledged raising the slogan “Jai Shri Ram” but maintained that it was not directed at the Muslim women, adding that he would try to ensure they received the benefits.

The women said they were deeply hurt by the interaction and decided to approach the district administration after returning home. Several protesters said they had repeatedly applied for the scheme, both online and offline, but had received no money despite their financial difficulties.

Many of their families depend on daily labour at a railway goods shed, and rising prices of essential commodities have made the promised assistance particularly important. The women also said they had previously been directed to a government-organised Seba Setu Abhiyan camp, where officials reportedly advised them to approach their local MLA instead.

The Tuesday demonstration also saw Hindu women from a neighbouring municipal ward join the agitation, emphasising that welfare entitlements should not be determined by religious identity. They sat alongside the Muslim protesters and demanded equal treatment for all eligible applicants.

For some of the women, the demonstration marked a departure from their usual lives, as they said they had rarely ventured outside their homes to seek official intervention.

Following the sit-in, SDO Mondal assured the protesters that their grievances would be examined and that eligible applicants would receive assistance as soon as possible. He also urged those who had not yet applied to submit their applications promptly.