A report by the Times of India (TOI) stated that officials from the Bihar government’s Jeevika scheme sent notices requesting refunds from 14 male villagers in the Darbhanga district.
However, the villagers have declined to return the funds, claiming that the money was exchanged for their votes, and now, following the NDA’s return to power, there is increasing pressure on the farmers to repay the amount.
During the launch of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana on September 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi transferred ₹10,000 to over 1.40 crore women in Bihar. The initiative, introduced just before the state elections, reportedly played a crucial role in attracting women voters and has been recognized as a significant factor in the NDA’s overwhelming success.
‘Funds in exchange for votes. Transactions closed’
The men from Ahiyari village in the Jale block of Darbhanga have questioned why the government issued notices three months after the transactions, asserting that the “transactions are closed” since the funds were provided in exchange for votes. They further claimed they cannot repay such a substantial amount.
“If the government claims the money was mistakenly credited to our accounts, why didn’t it send the notice right away? Why wait three months?” Narendra Ram, a farm laborer, remarked, as per TOI.
“Our votes ensured NDA’s victory, but now that they are in power, the government is pressuring us to return the funds. We cast our votes, and the transactions are closed,” he stated to TOI.
According to the report, Ram is physically challenged with five children and believed the funds were a form of assistance, similar to those provided to women. He mentioned that the money was utilized during the Diwali and Chhath Puja celebrations.
“There is no question of returning the funds… We are laborers and cannot muster such a large amount,” he emphasized.
Similar feelings were shared by another villager, Baliram Sahani, who voted for the NDA after receiving the funds. He is landless and also physically challenged, reportedly earning ₹300 per day working as a laborer.
“Now that they have won the elections, they are asking for the money back. The recovery notice arrived two-and-a-half months later. How am I supposed to pay that back?” Sahani expressed to TOI.
Women support their men, while some men return the funds
A Jeevika official cited in the TOI report mentioned that the funds “were transferred by mistake,” with seven male villagers having returned the money.
Nevertheless, this move by the government is facing opposition from the women villagers, who have come out to support their male counterparts.
“If the government wants our money back, it should also return our votes,” declared villager Pramila Devi, voicing her frustration about the situation, as reported by TOI.
