A fresh political firestorm has erupted in Madhya Pradesh after Karan Singh Verma, the state's Revenue Minister and MLA from Ichhawar, allegedly issued an indirect threat to women beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna Yojana at a public event. Speaking at the inauguration of new sub-health centres in Dhamanda village, Verma warned that beneficiaries who fail to attend government programmes could see their names removed from the scheme.
"In Dhamanda village, we are giving Rs 1,500 per month to 894 Ladli Behna beneficiaries look how many have come," Verma said. "Now I will tell the CEO madam to call everyone one day. If they don't come, their names will be removed. We will send a report from here," he said.
He then added a political barb -- "Sisters, you didn't get money during Congress rule" -- and invoked the Centre, saying the Prime Minister sends wheat from Delhi and deposits money in farmers' accounts, yet people "aren't paying attention".
The remarks have drawn sharp reactions from the Congress, which dubbed it "coercion dressed as welfare", and warned that a social security programme is being turned into a tool of compliance.
Congress leader Bhupendra Gupta hit out at the ruling party, saying such statements reflect a dangerous mindset.
"Under the BJP government, beneficiaries of government schemes are being spoken to as if they are receiving charity," Gupta said. "There is a sense that the government is doing them a favour. This mentality is no less than dictatorship. They are threatening people by saying the money will be taken away. Legally, they cannot do this. Ministers take an oath on the Constitution that if they issue threats like this, it amounts to a violation of the constitutional oath. The Supreme Court should dismiss such ministers. This is not the ministers' personal money," he added.
The controversy comes on the heels of a similar row involving Vijay Shah, who during a District Development Advisory Committee meeting in Ratlam, said the Ladli Behna beneficiaries should "show respect" to the Chief Minister because crores are being distributed under the scheme, and suggested that those who don't, could see their applications put on hold.
He spoke of arranging food to bring beneficiaries, hinted at scrutiny of those whose payments increased by Rs 250, and warned that Aadhaar issues could automatically stop payments remarks widely perceived as coercive and threatening.
Launched in June 2023, the Ladli Behna Yojana has become one of the state's costliest programmes. Monthly assistance rose from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 in November 2025, with a promise to eventually reach Rs 3,000.
Over 30 months, Madhya Pradesh has transferred Rs 48,632.70 crore to women the monthly outgo now nears Rs 1,850 crore, and projections peg the scheme at Rs 22,680 crore in 2026-27.
Even as costs surge, beneficiary numbers have slipped from a peak of 1.31 crore to about 1.25 crore, with over 5.7 lakh names deleted and fresh enrolments frozen amid a state debt of Rs 4.64 lakh crore and annual interest payments nearing Rs 27,000 crore.
