On Wednesday, the Shiv Sena(UBT) made a scathing attack on the ruling government in Maharashtra, alleging that the state’s economy has collapsed due to widespread institutional corruption. In its mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, the party cited a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) that revealed the ruling alliance had illegally siphoned off Rs 3,541 crore from the state exchequer through the Ladki Bahin Yojana to purchase votes ahead of the Assembly elections. The scheme, which promised Rs 1,500 per month to women, had a total outlay of Rs 14,000 crore distributed to 2.43 crore beneficiaries. However, the CAG audit found that 92 lakh beneficiaries were bogus or ineligible, with 62 lakh individuals not completing mandatory e-KYC verifications and 29,000 men and 8,000 government employees illegally enrolled.
The Shiv Sena(UBT) has drawn parallels to the post-Soviet collapse in Eastern Europe, where politicians and oligarchs colluded to control the state apparatus for personal gain, classifying this scam as a textbook case of State Capture. The party has demanded full financial accountability, calling for the recovery of stolen funds directly from the personal assets of the then-Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, and senior bureaucrats who cleared the illegal payouts. The editorial has highlighted the stark double standard in how the state treats ordinary citizens versus political elites, citing examples of absconding businessmen and poor farmers facing immediate property seizures.
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📰 Source: Mangalorean News