BJP’s Malviya slams LoP Gandhi’s ‘Khatakhat’ model of financial assistance for women

Taking a swipe at Lok Sabha’s Leader of Opposition (LoP), Rahul Gandhi’s Vietnam vacation, BJP leader and IT department incharge Amit Malviya on Monday tore into the former’s model of ‘Khatakhat’ financial assistance for women that has allegedly ruined economies of Congress-ruled states.

Malviya took to social media platform X to highlight how Congress-ruled states were finding themselves financially constrained in their attempt to fulfil LoP Gandhi’s ‘Khatakhat’ model or financial assistance transfer poll promise.

“After Himachal and Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Khatakhat’ model has now devastated Telangana. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who wants to strip and parade journalists for criticising him, admits that his government lacks the funds to pay salaries on the first of each month or provide DA,” wrote Malviya on X.

Malviya’s remarks came in the backdrop of CM Reddy’s outburst against abusive comments of journalists against him and his family members.

The BJP leader’s concerns over bad economics linked to Gandhi’s ‘Khatakhat’ model also preceded the presentation of Budget 2025-26 in Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh at a time when the Opposition BJP has been questioning the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government over alleged financial mismanagement leading to delayed salary payment to government employees.

The ‘Khatakhat’ model was popularised by Gandhi ahead of the Lok Sabha elections when he unveiled the promise aimed at women from poor households, pledging a direct transfer of Rs 1 lakh annually to one woman from each Economically Weaker Section family if the Congress came to power.

This initiative, termed the "Khatakhat" scheme, translated to approximately Rs 8,500 per month, aimed at empowering women economically.

However, critics argued that the Congress had not clarified how it will fund the promised Rs 1 lakh annual transfer to poor women. They also questioned whether taxes will be raised, or substantial borrowing will occur, potentially harming the economy.

Apart from the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has included money transfer schemes for women in its Assembly election guarantees as well.

In the just-concluded Delhi Assembly election, the Congress promised to give Rs 2,500 every month to women in the city.

In Karnataka, the Congress government is paying Rs 2,000 monthly financial assistance to women, in Himachal Pradesh it is paying Rs 1,500 monthly to women and in Telangana the party government is paying Rs 2,500 every month to women.

In almost all these states the governments are allegedly facing challenges to increase revenue amid rising borrowing to implement the ‘Khatakhat’ model of Rahul Gandhi.