Madhya Pradesh minister’s latest: Ladli Behna beneficiaries who don’t attend CM event will be investigated
Under fire, BJP’s Vijay Shah says comments twisted: ‘We discussed that only eligible women should receive benefits and ineligible beneficiaries should be weeded out’
Madhya Pradesh Tribal Affairs Minister Vijay Shah’s purported remarks linking benefits of the state government’s women’s empowerment scheme, Ladli Behna Yojana, to the attendance of beneficiaries at a proposed felicitation programme for Chief Minister Mohan Yadav sparked a row in the state, prompting the Congress to demand his resignation.
Vijay Shah later said his comments were “twisted and misrepresented”.
Shah’s comments were reportedly made during a meeting with local public representatives and officials in Ratlam on Saturday. He purportedly said that women beneficiaries who attended a New Year felicitation programme for the Chief Minister would see their monthly assistance under the scheme increased by Rs 250, while those who did not would have their verification kept “pending”.
Chairing the district development advisory committee meeting in Ratlam, he purportedly said, “This district has 2.5 lakh Ladli Behna Scheme beneficiaries; at least 50,000 of them should come forward to honour the CM for completing two years in power. We should plan an event where the Ladli Behnas will honour the CM. When the government is giving crores of rupees at a Rs 1,500 monthly rate to each beneficiary, then honouring the CM at least once in two years is justified.”
In a purported video of the meeting, which has gone viral, Shah, who is also the minister in charge of Ratlam district, can purportedly be heard telling the officials, “Plan an event where the Ladli Behnas honour the CM in the new year. We will arrange food for them. Those who don’t come, we will then see what happens to them. Such beneficiaries will be investigated. If someone’s Aadhaar isn’t linked, their application will be put on hold. That means it will automatically be stopped. Then everyone will come.”
Following criticism, Shah, who also holds the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation portfolio, issued a clarification. “My statement is being twisted and misrepresented. I strongly deny the misleading reports being spread regarding this,” Shah told PTI. “The state government is continuously working for women’s empowerment so that our sisters become self-reliant. There is no question of any ill intent towards them.”
He also said the discussion was centred on ensuring that only eligible women received benefits under the scheme. “I had received information that some ineligible women were availing the benefits of the Ladli Behna scheme, which has caused resentment. In an informal meeting, we discussed that only eligible women should receive benefits and ineligible beneficiaries should be weeded out,” he claimed.
Story continues below this ad
The Opposition Congress mounted a sharp attack on Chief Minister Yadav and the ruling BJP, demanding Shah’s immediate resignation.
State Congress president Jitu Patwari said in a post on X that the BJP, which should honour Ladli Behna beneficiaries, was instead allowing its “favoured minister” to insult them. “First, a cheap remark on the pride of the nation, Colonel Sofia Qureshi, and now threats to the state’s mothers and sisters. This reflects the BJP’s anti-women mindset,” Patwari said.
Shah came under fire earlier this year, after a video showed him allegedly making objectionable remarks against Colonel Qureshi, who gained nationwide prominence along with another woman officer, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, during media briefings on Operation Sindoor.
Patwari said the CM’s silence amounted to tacit approval of the remarks and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether insulting women had become a route to political advancement in the BJP. “Ministers who insult the armed forces and crores of women in the state have no right to remain in the government,” he said.
Story continues below this ad
The Ladli Behna scheme was launched a few months ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. At present, more than 1.26 crore women receive monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 under the scheme. The state government has promised to raise the amount to Rs 3,000 per month by 2028.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
