Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has accused the opposition of attempting to sabotage the Ladki Bahin scheme, alleging that they have spared no opportunity to tarnish the initiative. Addressing a program in Pune, Fadnavis detailed the various obstructions the opposition has tried to create against the scheme, and launched a scathing attack on the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
"This is truly a day to celebrate the daughters of Savitribai Phule," said Fadnavis. "We honour the revolutionary spirit of Savitribai Phule today. The formal launch of the Ladki Bahin scheme is happening here in Pune. Why Pune? Because from Pune, Jijabai inspired Shivaji Maharaj with the concept of Swarajya by ploughing the golden plough. When women's right to education was denied, the Phule couple began their mission from Pune to empower women. Pune is the birthplace of the first school for girls. Therefore, Pune is not just a city of politics but also of social transformation. Our government is one that gives, not one that takes. Previously, there was a government focused on recovery, now we have a government focused on giving. That’s why we chose to start here in Pune."
He also addressed concerns about the disbursement of funds, stating, "Despite starting the programme, the Chief Minister has instructed that the credits must continue. We will ensure that no sister is left empty-handed. To date, ₹1 crore and 3 lakh have been disbursed to women’s accounts. The scheme will not close until every account has received funds. We are committed to this. Payments for applications received by July 31 have been processed. For applications received by August 31, payments for July, August, and September will be made. This is not a delayed scheme but an efficient one, with funds directly transferred to accounts."
Fadnavis also criticised the opposition for their alleged tactics against the scheme, saying, "When we announced the scheme, our opponents were troubled and went to court, but were rejected. They then submitted forms with misleading photos—motorcycles and gardens—in an attempt to have them rejected. They even flooded the portal with junk data, causing delays. Despite this, we managed to process offline applications."
He expressed the value of the scheme, stating, "No one can buy the love of a mother or sister. This is our way of expressing gratitude to our mothers and sisters. Success is achieved with your support, and this assistance is our token of appreciation. Those born with a silver spoon cannot understand the value of ₹1500. They may leave generous tips at hotels, but they do not understand the value of money for our mothers and sisters. No matter the criticism, as long as we have their blessings, no one can deter us."
Fadnavis also spoke about the future of the scheme, "Ajitdada has arranged for full support until March. If you continue to bless us, we will ensure arrangements until 2025, and then extend them to 2026 and 2027. Budget allocations are made for one year at a time; if we could, we would have arranged for five years. All schemes in BJP-governed states are running smoothly, unlike in Karnataka, where Congress started schemes and then discontinued them."