Indiramma Saree Scheme A Political Gimmick: BJP

The Telangana BJP today criticised the Congress government's decision to distribute one crore sarees to women across the State on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's birth anniversary, calling it a "politically loaded and sycophantic" move.

BJP chief spokesperson and media in-charge N V Subhash said that the initiative was an election-driven imitation of the BJP's women-centric welfare programs. Accusing Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of adopting a "copycat model" after the BJP's strong performance among women in the recent Bihar elections, Subhash said that the saree distribution program was a desperate attempt ahead of upcoming civic and local body elections. He also questioned the numbers, asking why only one crore sarees were being distributed when Telangana had 1.68 crore women.

"The Congress seems to have taken a cue from us, but as the saying goes, nakal marne ke liye akal chahiye," he remarked.

Subhash said that for the BJP women were symbols of dignity in line with India's cultural ethos, and cited schemes including Ladli Behna in Madhya Pradesh and similar programs in Maharashtra and Bihar as examples of the BJP's track record in respecting and empowering women. The Congress however treated them as a mere vote bank, he claimed.

The people would not be misled by symbolic gestures when the Congress government had failed to implement its six guarantees, including the promised Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to women, he said. The scheme, he added, was "yet another jumla from a party rapidly losing credibility".

He also alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was just trying to please the Congress high command by naming the scheme after Indira Gandhi.