Maharashtra Removes 69 Lakh Women From Ladki Bahin Scheme After Verification Drive
New Age Islam News Bureau
12 May 2026
· Maharashtra removes 69 lakh women from Ladki Bahin scheme after verification drive
· UP teacher claims she wasn't hired for wearing hijab, school denies charge
· Geneva Meeting On Justice And Reconciliation Discusses Afghanistan’s Political Future
· Islamic Republic denies visits to eight female political prisoners
· Iltija Mufti’s X handle withheld after Geelani video sparks Kashmir backlash online
· PM Anwar pays tribute to nurses for invaluable service and sacrifice
· Penang Mother’s Day Saree Walkathon unites over 350 participants in celebration of culture and women empowerment
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Maharashtra removes 69 lakh women from Ladki Bahin scheme after verification drive
Sudhir Suryawanshi
12 May 2026
Under the Ladki Bahin scheme, the Maharashtra government provides financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible poor and needy women.(Photo | ANI, FILE)
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MUMBAI: Following a large-scale verification drive, the Maharashtra government disqualified 69 lakh women beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana and temporarily put the next instalment payment on hold.
The Maharashtra government clarified that only women who meet all eligibility conditions will continue receiving benefits under the scheme.
The 69 lakh women reportedly failed to comply with e-KYC and other criteria set by the state government and would therefore no longer receive benefits under the Ladki Bahin scheme.
Interestingly, when then chief minister Eknath Shinde launched the scheme ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2024, nearly 2.46 crore women had registered as beneficiaries. However, following the recent verification and scrutiny process, the number of eligible beneficiaries has reportedly fallen to around 1.77 crore.
Under the Ladki Bahin scheme, the Maharashtra government provides financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible poor and needy women. Initially, the annual expenditure for the scheme was estimated at around Rs 45,000 crore. It was later reduced to nearly Rs 36,000 crore and has now come down to Rs 26,000 crore.
The reduction in beneficiaries and efforts to control expenditure are among the key reasons behind the decision.
The state government, while reducing the number of beneficiaries after returning to power, said it had received several complaints that ineligible individuals were also receiving benefits under the scheme, causing losses to the state exchequer. This led to a state-wide verification drive.
“During the verification process, names were removed due to incomplete e-KYC, incorrect or incomplete documents, failure to meet eligibility criteria, errors in income or personal information, failure to update documents within the deadline etc. The government had extended the document update deadline multiple times since November 2025, but 30 April was declared the final date for compliance. And, in the final tally, it was found out that the 69 lakh women failed to comply with the norms therefore they were set to lose the benefits under this scheme,” said a government official requesting anonymity.
The official said that due to the mass verification drive, the state government has also halted the March and April instalments for this year. Once the process is completed, the amount will be transferred to the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries.
“We may also start recovery proceedings against women who allegedly received benefits despite not meeting eligibility conditions. A final decision on this matter is expected to be taken at the administrative and senior level. But here we cannot solely blame the women, it was the government and administrative responsibility to verify the details and documents before releasing the money,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
“But at that time, votes of the women were important, which forced us to ignore the documents and release the amount and increase the beneficiaries numbers,” the official added.
Source: newindianexpress.com
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/maharashtra/2026/May/11/maharashtra-removes-69-lakh-women-from-ladki-bahin-scheme-after-verification-drive
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UP teacher claims she wasn't hired for wearing hijab, school denies charge
May 12, 2026
In the viral clip, Samreen Bano alleges that Muslim teachers face discrimination.
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A video from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, featuring a Muslim woman teacher has gone viral on social media, in which she alleges she was denied employment for wearing a hijab. The school management has strongly denied the allegation, claiming the video was an attempt to gain social media attention.
In the viral clip, Samreen Bano alleges that Muslim teachers face discrimination. She claims that her religious identity and wearing a hijab are making it difficult for her to secure jobs and private tutoring assignments, and that schools are instilling fear and misconceptions about Muslim teachers in children's minds.
"I don't know why, but hatred seems to be all pervasive. Where does such hatred come from?" she says in the video.
Bano told India Today TV that she had undergone a one-day trial at a private school in Varanasi, but during a parent-teacher meeting the next day, she was asked not to wear a hijab or cover her head. She claims that when she objected, she was paid Rs 200 for the day's work and asked not to return.
SCHOOL PUSHES BACK
Speaking to India Today TV, Usharaj Maurya, the school's director and a BJP district office-bearer, defended the institution and disputed Bano's account. She said Bano had wanted to use her mobile phone inside the classroom, which is against school rules.
Maurya also pointed out that around 90 per cent of the students are Muslim and that four Muslim teachers are already employed at the school, none of whom have faced any issues.
The management further alleged that Bano behaved like a social media influencer seeking to grow her following, and that she had objected to teachers wearing bindis and mangalsutras as well as to the Saraswati Vandana prayer being conducted at the school.
"It was only later that we discovered she had uploaded these recordings to social media," Maurya said.
VIDEO NOW DELETED
Bano confirmed that she received a call from local police officials who are collecting information on the matter. She subsequently deleted the video, saying she does not wish to escalate the issue further.
The school has submitted a written response to the police about the whole incident. Maurya added that the school does not want to escalate the matter, seeking only counselling for the teacher.
Source: indiatoday.in
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/varanasi-hijab-row-muslim-teacher-alleges-bias-school-denies-dismissal-claim-2910193-2026-05-12
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Geneva Meeting On Justice And Reconciliation Discusses Afghanistan’s Political Future
By Fidel Rahmati
May 11, 2026
Activists and United Nations experts launched talks in Geneva on justice, reconciliation and accountability mechanisms aimed at Afghanistan’s political future.
Afghan civil society activists and United Nations experts held a meeting in Geneva on Monday focused on justice, accountability and restoring the rule of law in Afghanistan amid continuing human rights concerns under Taliban rule.
The meeting, titled “Exploring accountability, truth, and reconciliation as foundations for restoring constitutional governance in Afghanistan,” was attended by Richard Bennett, the UN Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur for Afghanistan.
Participants discussed proposals for establishing an independent accountability mechanism for Afghanistan, transitional justice efforts and the possibility of forming a more inclusive political system in the country.
Richard Bennett addressed the gathering on the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, including restrictions on civil liberties, freedom of expression and the rights of women and girls since the Taliban’s return to power.
Masoud Aamer, chairman of the Afghanistan Democratic and Civil Forces Network, and Nasir Ahmad Andisha also spoke during the event, emphasizing the need for international engagement and long-term accountability mechanisms.
Human rights organizations and UN experts have repeatedly raised concerns about increasing restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls, including bans on secondary and university education, employment limitations and restrictions on public participation.
The United Nations has previously warned that the absence of inclusive governance, judicial independence and accountability mechanisms in Afghanistan continues to deepen the country’s political and humanitarian crisis.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/geneva-meeting-on-justice-and-reconciliation-discusses-afghanistans-political-future/
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Islamic Republic denies visits to eight female political prisoners
May 12, 2026
Eight women political prisoners held in Tehran’s Evin Prison have been barred from meeting family members and lawyers following tighter security measures and pressure linked to collective protest activities inside the ward, according to information obtained by Iran International.
Shiva Esmaili, Golrokh Iraee, Sakineh Parvaneh, Forough Taghipour, Zahra Safaei, Marzieh Farsi, Elaheh Fouladi and Varisheh Moradi were denied visitation rights in recent weeks after participating in memorial gatherings and protest-related events inside the women’s ward, sources familiar with the situation said.
Prison authorities have also increased surveillance and patrols inside the ward, with officers entering cells daily and sometimes at night under the pretext of inspections, a source close to prisoners’ families told Iran International.
Women prisoners in Evin had for years marked political and ideological occasions through gatherings, songs, readings and commemorations for killed protesters and veteran activists, the source said. Prison officials have recently intervened directly in such activities and threatened participants, the source added.
The source said some women recently transferred to the ward were also warned by prison and security officials after attending a small number of the gatherings.
Prison staff have in recent months used insulting language toward detainees and threatened them with transfer to solitary confinement, another source familiar with conditions in the ward told Iran International.
Prisoners face solitary confinement threats
Ghazal Marzban, another woman prisoner in Evin, was recently held in solitary confinement for five nights after protesting the handling of her case, a source familiar with the situation said.
The women’s ward in Evin, often described by activists as a focal point of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, has repeatedly issued statements and organized protests over executions, arrests, economic hardship and the suppression of demonstrations in Iran.
Prisoners in the ward have also staged sit-ins and hunger strikes against death sentences in recent years, after which some faced punitive measures including restrictions on phone calls, visits and new legal cases.
A source close to prisoners’ families said the growing restrictions and threats of solitary confinement reflected efforts by prison and security authorities to silence dissent inside the ward.
Prisoner with tumors denied urgent treatment
Separate information obtained by Iran International shows that Mohtaram Parandin, an imprisoned artist and painter known as Mahshar, has been denied urgent medical treatment despite suffering from two tumors near the cerebellum and throat as well as severe heart disease.
A source familiar with her condition said prison doctors had warned that immediate surgery was necessary because the tumor near her cerebellum had affected her vision, speech and movement.
“The effects of the illness are visible in the way she walks and speaks,” the source said.
Despite recommendations from prison medical staff, authorities have not approved her transfer for treatment and have also rejected requests for medical leave and conditional release although she has served more than half of her sentence, the source added.
The source said documentation required for temporary medical leave had already been submitted to the prosecutor’s office.
Parandin, the mother of a teenage son, became the head of her household after the death of her husband. Her son also suffers from a chronic illness and has faced difficulties during her imprisonment.
Rights groups and prisoners’ families have for years accused Iranian prison authorities of denying political prisoners adequate medical care, with several detainees dying in custody after prolonged illness or delayed treatment.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202605122461
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Iltija Mufti’s X handle withheld after Geelani video sparks Kashmir backlash online
Muzaffar Raina
12.05.26
PDP leader Iltija Mufti has faced another backlash for posting a video of late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on social media, as her X handle has been withheld.
The move comes days after the Kashmir cyber police registered an FIR over the circulation of a video clip of Geelani on her social media platform.
The PDP has called the move an attempt to silence her.
“Withholding the account of @IltijaMufti_ a prominent JKPDP leader who consistently speaks on critical and important issues concerning Jammu & Kashmir, raises serious concerns about freedom of expression and suppression of democratic voices. Transparency and accountability are essential in a democracy. Silencing voices will not silence the issues. @X@elonmusk,” the PDP wrote on X.
Although Iltija was not named in the FIR, it was seen as targeting her for sharing an old video of Geelani in which he highlighted the need to preserve the Urdu language and alleged a conspiracy in India to make it irrelevant.
The post was shared by others on social media. Iltija later claimed the police were harassing those who shared her post, daring the force to question her rather than harass common people.
Iltija was blaming the Omar Abdullah government for sidelining Urdu for selections for the posts of patwaris and tehsildars in Jammu and Kashmir.
Source: telegraphindia.com
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/iltija-mufti-x-account-withheld-after-geelani-video-row-in-kashmir-politics-latest-prnt/cid/2160079
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PM Anwar pays tribute to nurses for invaluable service and sacrifice
May 12, 2026
In a Facebook post for International Nurses Day, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim honours nurses for their noble service, sacrifice and compassion.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today expressed appreciation to the nursing community, describing the profession as a noble field that demands sacrifice, inner strength and extraordinary sincerity.
In a Facebook post in conjunction with International Nurses Day today, the Prime Minister said the contributions of nurses often go beyond words, and their sacrifices are invaluable to the people and the nation.
“From the moment we are born, among the first to welcome and care for us are nurses. They are there when mothers endure the pain of childbirth, hear our first cries, care for us when we are ill, and remain steadfast in serving and caring for us until the end of our lives,” he said.
He said that throughout life, almost everyone would have experienced the compassion of nurses, who comfort patients in pain, reassure frightened children and provide strength to families during anxious moments.
Anwar said that in many situations, nurses are the individuals closest to patients and those who best understand their condition, while their experience and meticulous care are crucial in helping doctors provide the best treatment.
“Thank you for all your service and sacrifices. Happy International Nurses Day,” he said.
International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12 each year to recognise the contributions of nurses to communities around the world.
Source: thesun.my
https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/pm-anwar-pays-tribute-to-nurses/
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Penang Mother’s Day Saree Walkathon unites over 350 participants in celebration of culture and women empowerment
12 May 2026
The walkathon drew participants from various races, nationalities and age groups in a colourful showcase of unity and tradition.
PETALING JAYA: More than 350 participants gathered in Penang for the inaugural Mother’s Day Saree Walkathon, an event celebrating motherhood, Indian cultural heritage and women empowerment.
Organised by Nutri Heart Global Solutions in collaboration with the Indian Association Penang, the walkathon drew participants from various races, nationalities and age groups in a colourful showcase of unity and tradition.
The event marked the first time the initiative was held in Penang following the success of the Women’s Day Saree Walkathon previously organised in Kuala Lumpur over the past two years.
Participants walked in sarees of different colours and styles, symbolising the grace, resilience and strength of women across generations while also promoting awareness on women’s health and wellness.
The programme also highlighted the close bond between mothers and daughters, with participants ranging from young mothers to senior citizens. The oldest participant at the event was about 78 years old.
According to the organisers, the walkathon aimed to preserve and promote Indian culture and traditions while encouraging inclusivity and multicultural unity in Malaysia.
The Penang edition continued the momentum created by the earlier Kuala Lumpur saree walkathon, which was organised together with the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre and has since evolved into a broader movement promoting culture, wellness and women empowerment.
Distinguished guests, community leaders and cultural representatives were also present at the event, which featured cultural performances, interactive activities and community engagement sessions.
Founder and director of Nutri Heart Global Solutions, Roopali Tegginmani said the strong response reflected the growing appreciation for initiatives that celebrate cultural heritage while bringing communities together.
She added that the success of the walkathon demonstrated how cultural programmes can serve as a platform to promote wellness, inclusivity and women empowerment in multicultural Malaysia.
Source: thesun.my
https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/penang-mothers-day-saree-walkathon-unites-over-350-participants/
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