Priyanka alleges PM’s women scheme in Bihar is a vote-buying tactic

The Bihar elections have again taken a dramatic turn with fresh controversies over government welfare programs. The latest news of Bihar elections is the announcement of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where ?10,000 was deposited directly into 75 lakh bank accounts of women all over the state. Though the decision was portrayed as a measure towards strengthening women and increasing their economic autonomy, it has ignited an intense political debate over women welfare scheme in Bihar elections.

Congress chief Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also criticized the scheme publicly, asking why it was announced only a few weeks before the elections. She accused the initiative of being more about voting behavior than about empowerment. She described the gesture in her fiery words as, "Respect doesn't mean you give ?10,000, ten days before elections." The Priyanka accusation soon dominated the headlines and fueled the already hot political climate in Bihar.

Opposition parties had the same fears, arguing that this direct cash transfer was a frantic attempt to offer voters short term-derived advantages while disregarding dire issues including increasing rates of unemployment and inflation.  Political pundits are also discussing if last-minute economic incentives of this kind should be permitted during an election campaign since they water down the welfare-service line.

This is now being criticized by critics as a vote buying scandal, one which could have major implications on the way that people see both the scheme and what the government is trying to do. Advocates of the measure contend that the economic assistance will provide important support to women, while its detractors argue that authentic regard is achieved through persistent advocacy for policies, and changing systems altogether. 

The campaign is shaping up a demonstration on how safety net programs can serve as political battlegrounds prior to an election year, and voters will then have to decide if the policies provide genuine Good Samaritan-ism or are simply political sleight of hand.