In a public distribution program in Birbhum district on Sunday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted that the BJP-led central government has allegedly "deactivated" Aadhaar cards in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. According to her, this action aims to prevent people from availing themselves of the benefits of various social welfare programs facilitated through their bank accounts by her government.
Banerjee assured that her administration will persist in disbursing payments to the beneficiaries of state-run welfare initiatives, even if they lack an Aadhaar card. During her address, she cautioned the public about the BJP-led Centre's purported actions, emphasizing that the deactivation of Aadhaar cards in multiple Bengal districts is part of a strategy to disassociate them. The objective, she claimed, is to prevent individuals from receiving benefits such as Lakshmi Bhandar and free rations through bank transactions ahead of the elections.
Despite these alleged maneuvers, Banerjee affirmed her commitment to ensuring that no beneficiary is adversely affected, and payments will continue irrespective of Aadhaar card status. In her comments, she expressed solidarity with the farmers' protests in Haryana and Punjab, saluting their efforts and condemning attacks against them. Additionally, Banerjee highlighted the absence of similar challenges faced by farmers in Bengal.
