Women protest outside BJP office in Assam’s Digboi over exclusion from Orunodoi scheme

Scores of women staged a protest outside a BJP office in the Buridihing area of Digboi in Assam’s Tinsukia district on March 12, alleging that they were deprived of benefits under the Orunodoi Scheme.

Holding their ration cards in hand, more than 50 women gathered outside the party office and raised slogans, demanding that they be included in the state government’s flagship welfare scheme. The protesters claimed that despite possessing valid ration cards and submitting applications multiple times, they have not received financial assistance under the scheme.

The women, mostly from villages under Buridihing Mouza in the Digboi Assembly constituency, alleged irregularities in the implementation of the scheme in the area. According to them, while several eligible beneficiaries have been left out, many ineligible individuals are reportedly receiving the scheme’s benefits.

Some of the protesters also criticised local MLA Suren Phukan, claiming that their repeated appeals for inclusion in the scheme have gone unanswered.

The aggrieved women demanded that the authorities ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the scheme’s financial assistance before the upcoming elections. They also warned that if their demands are not met, they would intensify their protest and would not allow the BJP office in Buridihing to function.