In a controversial statement, Congress candidate from Ratlam Lok Sabha candidate and former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria on Thursday claimed that men with two wives stand to gain Rs 2 lakh under his party's Mahalaxmi scheme, which provisions to give Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women.
The statement has drawn a sharp response from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which sought action from the Election Commission of India against Bhuria (73), a Union minister for tribal affairs in the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
"Our manifesto promises Rs 1 lakh to every woman. It will be deposited in her bank account. (For) The person who has two wives, both of them will come under it," Bhuria said while addressing a poll rally in Sailana. Speaking on the occasion, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari said, "Bhuria ji has made a terrific announcement just now that a person with two wives will get double (of the Rs 1 lakh financial aid)."
Notably, the Congress in its manifesto has promised to give Rs. 8,500 to poor women till they move out of the below poverty line (BPL) segment.
BJP reacts to Kantilal Bhuriya's statement
Meanwhile, MP BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja shared the clip of Bhuria's statement on social media platform X and tagged the Election Commission seeking strict action. During his address, Bhuria also accused the Prime Minister of disrespecting tribals and keeping quiet when a tribal was urinated upon by a BJP leader in Sidhi.
It is pertinent to note that Kantilal Bhuriya won the 2009 Lok Sabha election from Ratlam seat but lost to BJP’s Dilip Singh Bhuriya in 2014. In 2015, Dilip passed away leaving the constituency vacant. In bypolls Kantilal once again won the seat, only to lose it again in 2019 to BJP’s Guman Singh Damor.
Kantilal Bhuriya is once again contesting on Congress ticket in 2024 against BJP’s Anita Chauhan, the wife of MP forest minister Nagar Singh Chauhan. The Ratlam constituency will go to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 13.
(With PTI Inputs)
