Uddhav Thackeray wants Ladli Behna scheme for men too

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic/Kirti Surve Parade

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked the state government to avoid discrimination by bringing a women-only financial assistance scheme that is based broadly on Madhya Pradesh's Ladli Behna project. He said not only women but also men in the state needed financial aid because of a lack of jobs.

"We welcome the scheme if it is going to be part of the bigger announcements this government is going to make in the monsoon session. But please don't discriminate between men and women. Make it Ladachi Bahin and Ladhacha Bhau (beloved sister and brother)," he said while addressing a press conference at the party's Nariman Point office. In the Ladli Behna scheme, a monthly amount of Rs 1,250 is transferred directly to the bank accounts of women who are in the 21-to-60 age bracket. The Shinde-Fadnavis-Pawar government is mulling over coming out with a similar scheme in the budget to be tabled on Friday.

Farm loan waiver

Thackeray demanded a complete farm loan waiver this session and expected the government to finish the process before the October Assembly elections. "Distressed farmers have been committing suicide every day. This is a double-engine sarkar and the mahashakti is still there behind the CM. Use that mahashakti to waive off farm loans. Enough of lies now. Do it before the elections," he said.

Homes for Marathi manoos

Asked about a private bill his party colleague Anil Parab will be tabling in the Upper House, Thackeray said his government had plans to reserve 50 per cent of housing stock in Mumbai's new buildings for Marathi people. "But these people demolished our government before we could do it. We will do it when we return to power," he said.

Council polls

Thackeray said despite having fewer voters, the MVA would win three out of 11 seats that go to polls from the Assembly electorate later this month. "It will be interesting if voting takes place. We will see who eats sweets then," he said, indicating a possibility of cross-voting from the NDA members of the Assembly. It was on the biennial council election day in 2022 that Eknath Shinde split the Shiv Sena.

Earlier in the day, MLC Thackeray attended the first day of the session. He and DCM Devendra Fadnavis shared an elevator to go up to the Council Hall. The coincidental meeting became the talk of the precinct. However, Thackeray said it was a mere coincidence that the two ex-CMs met. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil also met Thackeray as part of the floor management plan.

Shinde Sena strikes back

Responding to Thackeray's take on the Ladli Behna scheme, advocate Susieben Shah, Shiv Sena (Shinde) spokesperson, wondered why he didn't have the support of his brother. "What will you talk about the Laadka Bhau scheme? Why is your brother not with you? Why did you not implement Ladki Bahin Yojana when you were chief minister? Now that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has brought the Ladki Bahin Yojana, stop protesting just for the sake of protesting," said Shah in a statement.

"We will definitely fulfil the promise of free education for girls, but what happened when your beloved son gave tabs to BMC school students? Tell people how much of a scam there is in the distribution of tabs," she asked. She asked why Thackeray did not call for 50 per cent reservation in homes for the Marathi people earlier. "You only worked to push the Marathi people out of Mumbai. Why could you not do anything for them even when you were in power for 25 years? Now that the Marathi manoos showed them their place in the Lok Sabha elections, they suddenly thought of a 50 per cent quota in city housing,"
she alleged.