The streets of Bhopal witnessed a major political confrontation on Friday as the state Mahila Congress staged a fiery protest demanding the resignation of Minister Vijay Shah. The protest was triggered by Shah's recent controversial remarks concerning beneficiaries of the government's flagship Ladli Behna Yojana.
Protest Rally and Police Confrontation
Led by its president, Reena Borasi Sethia, the women's wing of the Congress party organized a rally that began at the state Congress office. The demonstrators intended to march to and gherao the minister's bungalow. However, their path was blocked by heavy police deployment and metal barricades at a crossing near their destination.
The situation quickly escalated into a clash. Protesters scuffled with police personnel, including women officers, as they attempted to push forward. Ultimately, the agitators sat on the road, raising loud slogans calling for Vijay Shah's immediate ouster from the state cabinet. Many protesters were arrested during the demonstration but were later released.
Mahila Congress workers made serious allegations of manhandling by the police. They claimed that officers tore their clothes and dragged them by their hair during the detention process.
Allegations Against the Minister
Reena Borasi Sethia accused Minister Vijay Shah of repeatedly making derogatory and vulgar statements against women without facing any consequences. She issued a stern warning that such language from a person in power would not be tolerated.
"We demand the Chief Minister dismiss this minister who holds such vulgar views," Sethia stated, hinting at the possibility of larger, more intense protests in the near future if their demand is not met.
The Controversial Ratlam Meeting
The flashpoint for this protest was an event that took place the previous Saturday in Ratlam. During a meeting organized to felicitate Chief Minister Mohan Yadav by beneficiaries of various schemes, Vijay Shah made contentious comments directed at officials of the Women and Child Development department.
Addressing the implementation of the Ladli Behna scheme, Shah suggested that the scheme's huge expenditure warranted using funds as an "attendance incentive" for beneficiaries. He reportedly proposed a Rs 250 raise for attendees and indicated that pending Aadhaar linkage could be used to identify absentees.
Furthermore, the minister set a specific target, directing that 50,000 out of Ratlam's approximately 2.5 lakh Ladli Behna beneficiaries must attend such government events. These remarks were interpreted by the opposition as coercive and disrespectful towards women who are part of the welfare scheme, implying their attendance could be linked to financial benefits.
Political Repercussions and Next Steps
The protest and the allegations have ignited a fresh political firestorm in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress party is leveraging the incident to attack the ruling BJP government's attitude towards women and its welfare schemes. The Mahila Congress has positioned itself as the defender of the dignity of women beneficiaries.
The ball is now in the court of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who faces pressure to take action against his cabinet colleague. With the Mahila Congress threatening to intensify their agitation, this issue is likely to dominate the state's political discourse in the coming days, keeping the spotlight firmly on Minister Vijay Shah's comments and the government's response.
